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y/^a^/./ti^     ;iC2 


A^<j-y^ 


THE    CASTAWAYS 


AN    ENEMV    IN    THE    AIR. 


Page  125- 


THE   CASTAWAYS: 


A  STORY 


ADVENTURE    IN    THE    WILDS    OF   BORNEO, 


BY 


CAPTAIK  MAYNE  EEID. 


NEW  YORK: 
SHELDON     &     COMPANY, 

498  &  500  BROADWAY, 
1870. 


Entonjd  according;  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870, 
By    Ri.E  JKN    &    CO., 
In  the  Gftico  of  tlie   Libi-iiridii  of  Cuu^ross,  at  Washiugton. 


f=>.-?J' 


m 


CONTENTS. 


I.  A  Castaway  Crew  .         . 
II.  Tlie  Hammer-Head       . 

III.  The  All  atross 

IV.  Tlie  Cry  of  the  Dugong 
V.  Rnnning  the  Breakers 

VI.  A  Gigantic  Oyster 
VII.  A  Dangerous  Locality     . 
VIII.  Shooting  at  Fruit 
IX.  Gagging  a  Gavial    . 
X.  Burrowing  Birds 
XI.  The  Lanoons  . 
XII.  Krissing  a  Constrictor 

XIII.  Chicks  quick  to  take  Winf 

XIV.  A  Grand  Tree-Climber 
XV.  Something  Sharp    . 

XVI.  An  Enemy  in  the  Air  . 
XVII.  Sitting  by  the  Spit  . 
XVIII.  Sick  after  Supper 
XIX.  An  Uneasy  Niglit   . 
XX.  The  Deadly  Upas 
XXI.  Starting  for  tlic  Interior 
XXII.  Across  Country    . 

XXIII.  Toi'gh  Travelling    . 

XXIV.  A  Red  Satyr    .     . 
XXV.  Silence  Restored 


PACK 

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18 

24 

31 

36 

43 

.'50 

58 

65 

77 

85 

90 

97 

106 

111 

118 

126 

131 

137 

142 

1.50 

159 

165 

1G9 


M531i991 


6 


CONTENTS. 


XXVI.  In  Fear  and  Trembling     . 
XXAT^I.  A  Spectacle  rarely  Seen 
XXVIII.  Still  Trusting  in  God 
XXIX.  A  Captive  carried  Aloft 
XXX.  What  will  become  of  Her  ? 
XXXI.  The  Parsnit  Arrested     . 
XXXII.  Listening  in  Despair  , 

XXXIII.  Striking  Out 

XXXIV.  Swimming  in  Shadow 
XXXV.  The  Famiry  at  Home     . 

XXXVI,  An  Improvised  Palanquin 
XXXVII.  The  Journey  continued 
XXX  VUI.  The  Friendly  Flag    . 


PAGE 

173 

180 
186 
191 
197 
202 
206 
212 
217 
221 
226 
230 
234 


THE    CASTAWAYS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


A    CASTAWAY     CREW, 


^^g^^-^  BOAT  upon  the  open  sea — no  land  in 

"^      It  is  an  open  boat,  the  size  and  form 

'^-aJ  showing  it  to  be  the  pinnace  of  a  mer- 
chant-ship. 

It  is  a  tropical  sea,  with  a  fiery  sun  overhead, 
slowly  coursing  through  a  sky  of  brilliant  azure. 

The  boat  has  neither  sail  nor  mast.  There  are 
oars,  but  no  one  is  using  them.  They  lie  athwart 
the  tholes,  their  blades  dipping  in  the  water,  with 
no  hand  upon  the  grasp. 

And  yet  the  boat  is  not  empty.  Seven  human 
forms  are  seen  within  it — six  of  them  living,  and 
one  dead. 

Of  the  living,  four  are  full-grown  men ;  tlu-ee  of 


8  THE    CASTAWAY    CKEW. 

them  white,  the  fourth  of  an  nmber-brown,  or  listre 
color.  One  of  the  white  men  is  tall,  dark,  and 
bearded,  with  features  bespeaking  him  either  a 
European  or  an  American,  tliough  their  somewhat 
elongated  shape  and  classic  regularity  would  lead 
to  a  belief  that  he  is  the  latter,  and  in  all  proba- 
bility a  native  of  ISTew  York.     And  so  he  is. 

The  features  of  the  white  man  sitting  nearest  to 
him  are  in  strange  contrast  to  his,  as  is  also  the 
color  of  his  hair  .and  skin.  The  hair  is  of  a  carroty 
shade,  w^hile  his  complexion,  originally  reddish, 
through  long  exposure  to  a  tropical  sun,  exhibits  a 
yellowish,  freckled  appearance.  The  countenance 
so  marked  is  unmistakably  of  Milesian  type.  So  it 
should  be,  as  its  owner  is  an  Irishman. 

The  third  white  man,  of  thin,  lank  frame,  with 
face  almost  beardless,  pale  cadaverous  cheeks,  and 
eyes  sunken  in  their  sockets,  and  there  rolling 
wildly,  is  one  of  those  nondescripts  who  may  be 
English,  Irish,  Scotch,  or  American.  His  dress 
betokens  him  to  be  a  seaman,  a  common  sailor. 

He  of  the  brown  complexion,  with  flat  spreading 
nose,  high  cheek-bones,  oblique  eyes,  and  straight, 
raven  black  hair,  is  evidently  a  native  of  the  East, 
a  Malay. 

The  two  other  living  figures  in  the  boat  are  those 
of  a  boy  and  girl.  They  are  -white.  They  differ 
but  little  in  size,  and  but  a  year  or  two  in  age,  the 
girl   l)eing  fourteen  and  the   boy  about  sixteen. 


TIlfilR    MTSERAPLR    CONDITION.  9 

There  is  also  a  reseinblaiiee  in  tlieir  features.  They 
are  brotlier  and  sister. 

The  fourth  wliite,  who  lies  dead  in  the  bottom 
of  the  boat,  is  also  dressed  in  seaman's  clothes,  and 
has  evidently  in  his  lifetime  been  a  common  sailor. 

It  is  but  a  short  time  since  the  breath  departed 
from  his  body;  and  judging  by  the  appearance  of 
the  others,  it  may  not  be  long  before  they  will  all 
follow  him  into  another  world. 

How  weak  and  emaciated  they  appear,  as  if  in 
the  last  stage  of  starvation!  The  boy  and  girl  lie 
along  the  stern-sheets,  with  wasted  arms,  embrac- 
ing each  other.  The  tall  man  sits  on  one  of  tho 
benches,  gazing  mechanically  upon  the  corpse  at 
his  feet ;  while  the  other  three  also  have  their  eyes 
upon  it,  though  with  very  dilierent  expressions. 
That  upon  the  face  of  the  Irishman  is  of  sadness, 
as  if  for  the  loss  of  an  old  shipmate ;  the  Malay 
looks  on  with  the  impassive  tranquillity  peculiar 
to  his  race ;  while  in  the  sunken  orbs  of  the  non- 
descript can  be  detected  a  look  that  speaks  of  a 
horrible  craving — the  craving  of  cannibalism. 

The  scene  described,  and  the  circumstances  which 
have  led  to  it,  call  for  explanation.  It  is  easily 
given.  The  tall  dark-bearded  man  is  Captain 
Robert  Eedwood,  the  skipper  of  an  American 
merchant-vessel,  for  some  time  trading  among  tho 
islands  of  the  Indian  Archipelago.  The  Irishman 
is  his  ship-cai-penter,  the  Malay  his  pilot,  while  the 


10  ALL   LOST   BUT  THESE. 

others  are  two  common  sailors  of  liis  crew.  The 
boy  and  girl  are  his  children,  who,  ha^nng  no 
mother  or  near  relatives  at  home,  have  been  brought 
along  with  him  on  his  trading  voyage  to  the 
Eastern  Isles.  The  vessel  passing  from  Manilla, 
in  the  Philippines,  to  the  Dutch  settlement  of 
Macassar,  in  the  island  of  Celebes,  has  been  caught 
in  a  tyjphoon  and  swamped  near  the  middle  of  the 
Celebes  Sea ;  her  crew  have  escaped  in  a  boat — the 
pinnace — but  saved  from  death  by  drowning,  only 
to  iind,  most  of  them,  the  same  watery  grave  after 
long-procrastinated  suffering  from  thirst,  from 
hunj^er,  from  all  the  aa^onies  of  starvation. 

One  after  another  have  they  succumbed,  and 
been  thrown  overboard,  until  the  survivors  are  only 
six  in  number.  And  these  are  but  skeletons,  each 
looking  as  if  another  day,  or  even  another  hour, 
mi<2:ht  terminate  his  wretched  existence. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  the  youthful  pair  in 
the  stern-sheets,  still  but  tender  children,  and  the 
girl  more  especially,  should  have  withstood  the 
terrible  suffering  beyond  a  period  possible  to  many 
strong  men,  tough  sailors  every  one  of  them.  But 
it  is  not  so  strange  after  all,  or  rather  after  knowing 
that,  in  the  struggle  with  starvation,  youth  always 
proves  itself  superior  to  age,  and  tender  childhood 
will  live  on  where  manhood  gives  way  to  the 
weakness  of  inanition. 

That  Captain  Eedwood  is  himself  one  of  the 


STRUGGLING    FOR   LIFE.  11 

strongest  of  the  survivors  may  be  due  partly  to  the 
fact  of  his  having  a  liiglier  organism  than  that  of 
his  ship-comrades.  But,  no  doubt,  lie  is  also  sus- 
tained by  the  presence  of  the  two  children,  his 
affection  for  them  and  fear  for  their  fate  warding 
off  despair,  and  so  strengthening  within  liim  the 
principle  of  vitality. 

If  affection  has  aught  to  do  Avitli  preserving  life, 
it  is  strong  enough  in  the  Irishman  to  account  also 
for  the  preservation  of  his ;  for  although  but  the 
carpenter  in  Captain  Redwood's  ship,  he  regards  the 
captain  with  a  feeling  almost  fraternal.  He  had 
been  one  of  his  oldest  and  steadiest  hands,  and 
long  serWce  has  led  to  a  fast  friendship  between 
him  and  his  old  skipper. 

On  the  part  of  the  Irishman,  this  feeling  is  ex- 
tended to  the  youthful  couple  who  recline,  with 
clasped  hands,  along  the  sternmost  seat  of  the 
pinnace. 

As  for  the  Malay,  thirst  and  hunger  have  also 
made  their  marks  upon  liim ;  but  not  as  with  those 
of  Occidental  race.  It  may  be  that  his  bronze  skin 
does  not  show  so  plainly  the  pallor  of  sufiering ; 
but,  at  all  events,  he  still  looks  lithe  and  life-like, 
Bupple  and  sinewy,  as  if  he  could  yet  take  a  spell 
at  the  oar,  and  keep  alive  as  long  as  skin  and  bone 
held  together.  If  all  are  destined  to  die  in  that 
open  boat,  he  will  certainly  be  the  last.  He  with 
the  hollow  eyes  looks  as  if  he  would  be  the  first. 


12 


ABOVE    AND    BELOW 


Down  Tipon  tliis  wretched  group,  a  picture  of 
misery  itself,  shines  the  hot  sun  of  the  tropics; 
around  it,  far  as  eye  conld  reacli,  extends  the 
cahn  sea,  glassed,  and  glancing  back  his  rays,  as 
though  they  were  reflected  from  a  sheet  of  liquid 
Are;  beneath  them  gleams  a  second  Armament 
through  the  pellucid  water,  a  sky  peopled  with 
strange  forms  that  are  not  birds:  more  like  are 
they  to  dragons  ;  for  among  them  can  be  seen  the 
horrid  form  of  the  devil-fish,  and  the  still  more 
hideous  figure  of  the  hammer-headed  shark.  And 
alone  is  that  boat  above  them,  seemingly  suspended 
in  the  air,  and  only  separated  from  these  dreadful 
monsters  by  a  few  feet  of  clear  water,  through 
which  they  can  dart  with  the  speed  of  electricity. 
Alone,  with  no  land  in  sight,  no  ship  or  sail,  no 
other  boat — nothing  that  can  give  them  a  hope. 

All  bright  above,  around,  and  beneath ;  but 
within  their  hearts  only  darkness  and  the  dread  of 
death ! 


CHAPTER  11. 


THE    HAMMER-HEAD. 


^^^S%  ^^  some  time  the  castaways  had  been 

%m>       seated  in  moody  silence,  now  and  then 

4^        glancing  at  the  corpse  in  the  bottom  of 

^]r^       the  boat,  some  of  them  no  doubt  thinking 

how  long  it  might  be  before  they  themselves  would 

occupy  the  same  situation. 

But  now  and  then,  also,  their  looks  were  turned 
npon  one  another,  not  hopefully,  but  with  a  me- 
chanical effort  of  despair. 

In  one  of  these  occasional  glances.  Captain  Red- 
wood noticed  the  unnatural  glare  in  the  eyes  of 
the  surviving  sailor,  as  also  did  the  Irishman. 
Simultaneously  were  both  struck  with  it,  and  a 
sign iH cant  look  was  exchanged  between  them. 

For  a  period  of  over  twenty  hours  this  man  had 
been  behaving  oddly;  and  they  had  conceived 
something  more  than  a  suspicion  of  his  insanity. 
Tlie  death  of  the  sailor  lying  at  the  bottom  of  the 
boat,  now  the  ninth,  had  rendered  him  for  a  time 
more  trancpiil,  and  he  sat  quiet  on  his  seat,  with 


14  THE    captain's    PRECAUTION. 

elbows  resting  on  liis  knees,  his  cheeks  held  be- 
tween the  palms  of  his  hands.  Bnt  the  wild  stare 
in  his  eyes  seemed  to  have  become  only  more  in- 
tensified as  he  kept  them  fixed  upon  the  corpse  of 
his  comrade.  It  was  a  look  worse  than  wild ;  it 
had  in  it  the  expression  of  craving. 

On  perceiving  it,  and  after  a  moment  spent  in 
reflection,  the  captain  made  a  sign  to  the  ship-car- 
penter, at  the  same  time  saying, — 

"  Mnrtagh,  it's  no  use  our  keeping  the  bod}^  any 
longer  in  the  boat.  Let  us  give  it  such  burial  as 
the  sea  vouchsafes  to  a  sailor, — and  a  true  one  he 
was." 

lie  spoke  these  words  quietly,  and  in  a  low 
tone,  as  if  not  intending  them  to  be  heard  by  the 
suspected  maniac. 

"  A  thrue  sailor !"  rejoined  the  Irishman.  "  Truth 
ye're  roight  there,  cap  tin.  Och,  now !  to  think 
he's  the  ninth  of  them  we've  throwed  overboard, 
all  the  crew  of  tlie  owld  ship,  exceptin'  our  three 
selves,  widout  countin'  the  Malay  an'  the  childer. 
If  it  wasn't  that  yer  honor's  still  left,  I'd  say  tlie 
best  goes  first ;  for  the  nigger  there  looks  as  if  he'd 
last  out  the  whole  lot  of — " 

The  captain,  to  whom  this  imprudent  speech 
was  torture,  with  a  gesture  brought  it  to  an  abrupt 
termination.  He  was  in  fear  of  its  effect  not  on 
the  Malay,  but  on  the  insane  sailor.  Tlie  latter, 
however,  showed  no  sign  of  having  heard  or  un- 


DISPOSING    OF   THE    DEAD.  16 

derstood  it;  and  in  a  whisper  Murtagli  received 
instructions  liow  to  act. 

"  Yoii  lay  hold  of  him  by  the  shonlders,"  were  tlie 
words  spoken,  "while  I  take  the  feet.  Let  us  slip 
him  quietly  over  without  making  any  stir.  Saloo,  re- 
main you  where  you  are  ;  we  won't  need  your  help." 

This  last  speech  was  addressed  to  the  Malay, 
and  in  his  own  language,  which  would  not  be  un- 
derstood by  any  other  than  himself.  The  reason 
for  laying  the  injunction  npon  him  was,  that  he 
sat  in  the  boat  beyond  the  man  deemed  mad,  and 
his  coming  across  to  the  others  might  excite  the 
latter  and  bring  about  some  vaguely  dreaded  crisis. 

The  silent  Malay  simply  nodded  an  assent, 
showing  no  sign  that  he  comprehended  why  his 
assistance  was  not  desired.  For  all  that,  he  under- 
stood it,  he  too  having  observed  the  mental  condi- 
tion of  the  sailor.  Rising  silently  from  their  seats, 
and  advancing  toward  the  dead  body,  the  captain 
and  carpenter,  as  agreed  npon,  laid  hold  of  and 
raised  it  up  in  their  arms.  Even  Aveak  as  both 
were,  it  was  not  mncli  of  a  lift  to  them.  It  was 
not  a  corpse,  only  a  skeleton,  with  the  skin  still  ad- 
hering, and  drawn  tightly  over  the  bones. 

Resting  it  upon  the  gnnwale  of  the  boat,  they 
made  a  moment's  pause,  their  eyes  turned  heaven- 
ward, as  if  mentally  repeating  a  prayer. 

The  Irishman,  a  devout  believer  in  the  efficacy 
of  outward  observances,  with  one  hand  detached 

a 


16  AN    OCEAN-GRAVE. 

from  tlie  coi*pse,  silently  made  tlie  sign  of  the 
cross. 

Then  was  the  body  again  raised  between  them, 
held  at  arm's  length  outward,  and  tenderl}^  lowered 
down  upon  the  water. 

There  was  no  plunge,  only  a  tiny  plashing,  as 
if  a  chair,  or  some  other  piece  of  light  wood-work, 
had  been  dropped  gently  upon  the  surface  of  the 
sea.  But  slight  as  was  the  sound,  it  produced 
an  effect,  startling  as  instantaneous.  The  sailor, 
whose  dead  comrade  was  thus  being  consigned  to 
the  deep,  as  it  were,  surreptitiously,  all  at  once 
sprang  to  his  feet,  sending  forth  a  shriek  that  rang 
far  over  the  tranquil  water.  "With  one  bound, 
causing  the  pinnace  to  heel  fearfully  over,  he 
placed  himself  by  the  side  over  which  the  coi-pse 
liad  been  lowered,  and  stood  with  arnis  upraised, 
as  if  intending  to  plunge  after  it. 

The  sight  underneath  should  have  awed  him. 
The  dead  body  was  slowly,  gradually  sinking,  its 
garb  of  dark  blue  Guernsey  shirt  becoming  lighter 
blue  as  it  went  deeper  down  in  the  cerulean  water ; 
while  fast  advancing  to  meet  it,  as  if  coming  up 
from  the  darkest  depths  of  the  ocean,  was  a  crea- 
ture of  monstrous  shape,  the  very  type  of  a  mon- 
ster. It  was  the  hideous  hammer-headed  shark, 
the  dreaded  zygcena  of  the  Celebes  Sea. 

With  a  pair  of  enormous  eyes  glaring  sullenly 
out  from  two  immense  cheek-like  protuberance^ 


THE    TYPE    OF    A    MONSTER.  17 

giring  to  its  head  that  singular  sledge-hammer  ap- 
pearance whence  it  has  its  name,  it  advanced 
directly  toward  the  slow-descending  coi-pse,  itself, 
however,  moving  so  rapidly  that  the  spectators 
above  had  scarce  taken  in  the  outlines  of  its  horrid 
form,  when  this  was  no  longer  visible.  It  was 
hidden  in  what  appeared  a  shower  of  bluish  pearls 
suddenly  projected  underneath  the  water,  and  en- 
veloping both  the  dead  body  of  the  sailor  and  the 
living  form  of  the  shark.  Through  the  dimness 
could  be  distinguished  gleams  of  a  pale  phosphoric 
sheen  like  lightning  Hashes  through  a  sky  cloud  ; 
and  soon  after  troth  and  bubbles  rose  eftervescing 
upon  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

It  was  a  terrible  spectacle,  though  only  of  an 
instant's  duration.  Wfcen  the  subaqueous  cloud 
cleared  away,  and  they  again  looked  with  peering 
eyes  down  into  the  pellucid  deptlis,  there  was 
nothing  there,  neither  dead  body  of  man,  nor  liv- 
ing form  of  monster.  The  zygmna  had  secured  its 
prey,  and  carried  the  skeleton  coi*pse  to  some  dark 
cavern  of  the  deep.* 

*  The  hammer-hoaded  shark,  in  common  lancjuage,  is  ri<?htly  depisr- 
naled  one  of  the  most  hideous  of  marine  animals.  We  mean  hidcoii? 
in  outward  appearance,  for,  of  conrgie,  there  is  much  both  wonderful  and 
beautiful  in  its  internal  organization,  and,  in  the  exquisite  fltnet'S  of  its 
Ftructure  for  its*  peculiar  part  in  the  economy  of  nature.  la  the  jreneral 
outline  of  its  body,  which  is  something  like  that  of  a  cylinder,  it  resem- 
bles the  ordinary  sharks;  and  its  distinctive  feature  is  its  head,  which, 
on  either  side,  expands  like  a  double-headed  hammer.  The  eyes  are  very 
large,  and  placed  at  each  extremity.  It  is  found  in  the  Mediterranean  S.>a, 
as  well  Eh  in  the  Indian  Oceau,  and  is  noted  for  its  fierceness  and  voraciiY. 

2 


CHAPTEE  III. 


T  H 


ALBATROSS, 


APTAIN  EEDWOOD  and  the  Ii-isli- 
man  were  horriiied  at  the  sight  that  had 
passed  under  their  eyes.  So,  too,  were  the 
children,  who  had  both  started  up  from 
their  reclining  attitude,  and  looked  over  the  side  of 
the  boat.  Even  the  impassive  Malay,  all  his  life 
used  to  stirring  scenes,  in  which  blood  was  often 
shed,  could  not  look  down  into  those  depths,  dis- 
turbed by  such  a  tragical  occurrence,  without  hav- 
ing aroused  within  him  a  sensation  of  horror. 

All  of  them  recoiled  back  into  the  boat,  stagger- 
ing down  upon  their  seats.  One  alone  remained 
standing,  and  with  an  expression  upon  his  face  as 
if  he  was  desirous  of  again  beholding  the  sight.  It 
was  not  a  look  that  betrayed  pleasure,  but  one  grim 
and  ghastly,  yet  strong  and  steady,  as  if  it  pene- 
trated the  profoundest  depths  of  the  ocean.  It  was 
the  look  of  the  insane  sailor. 

If  his  companions  had  still  held  any  lingering 
doubts  about  his  insanity,  it  was  sufficient  to  dispel 
them.     It  was  the  true  stare  of  the  maniac. 


JUMPING    OVEinJOAllD.  19 

It  was  not  loiio-  continued.  Scarce  had  tliov  re- 
Bunied  their  seats  wlien  tlie  man,  once  more  elevat- 
iwy^  his  arms  m  the  air,  uttered  another  startling 
shriek,  if  possil)le  kinder  and  wihler  tlian  before. 
lie  had  stepped  upon  one  of  thie  boat  seats,  and 
stood  with  body  bent,  half  leaning  over  the  r*^-- 
wale,  in  the  attitude  of  a  diver  about  to  make  has 
headlong  plunge. 

There  could  be  no  mistaking  his  intention  to 
leap  overboard,  for  his  comrades  could  see  that  his 
muscles  were  strained  to  the  effort. 

All  three — the  captain,  Murtagh,  and  the  Malay 
— suddenly  rose  again,  and  leant  forward  to  lay 
hold  on  him.  They  were  too  late.  Before  a  finger 
could  touch  him  he  had  made  the  fatal  spring ;  and 
the  next  moment  he  was  beneath  the  surface  of 
the  sea ! 

Kone  of  them  felt  strong  enough  to  leap  after 
and  try  to  save  him.  In  all  probability,  the  effort 
would  have  been  idle,  and  worse;  for  the  mad 
fancy  that  seemed  urging  him  to  self-destruction 
might  still  influence  his  mind,  and  carry  another 
victim  into  the  same  vortex  with  himself.  Re- 
strained by  this  thought,  they  stood  up  in  the  boat, 
and  watched  for  his  coming  up  again. 

He  did  so  at  length,  but  a  good  distance  off.  A 
breeze  had  been  gradually  springing  up,  and  during 
his  dive  the  pinnace  had  made  some  way,  by  drift- 
ing before  it.  When  his  head  was  again  seen  above 


20  A   CRY   FOR   HELP. 

the  ciiriing  water,  lie  was  nearly  a  liundred  yards 
to  windward  of  the  boat.  He  was  not  so  far  off  as 
to  prevent  them  from  reading  the  expression  upon 
his  face,  now  turned  toward  them.  It  had  become 
changed,  as  if  by  magic.  The  wild  look  of  insanity 
was  gone,  and  in  its  place  was  one  almost  equally 
■wild,  though  plainly  was  it  an  expression  of  fear, 
or  indeed  terror.  The  immersion  into  the  cold, 
deep  sea,  had  told  upon  his  fevered  brain,  producing 
a  quick  reaction  of  reason ;  and  his  cries  for  help, 
now  in  piteous  tones  sent  back  to  the  boat,  showed 
that  he  understood  the  peril  in  wdiich  he  had  placed 
himself. 

They  were  not  unheeded.  Murtagh  and  the 
Malay  rushed,  or  rather  tottered  to  the  oars  ;  while 
the  captain  threw"  himself  into  the  stern,  and  took 
hold  of  the  tiller-ropes. 

In  an  instant  the  pinnace  was  headed  round,  and 
moving  through  the  water  in  the  direction  of  the 
s\\ammer,  who,  on  his  side,  swam  toward  them, 
though  evidently  with  feeble  stroke.  There  seemed 
not  much  doubt  of  their  being  able  to  pick  him  up. 
The  only  danger  thought  of  by  any  of  them  w*as 
the  zygcenaj  but  they  hoped  the  shark  might  be 
still  occupied  with  its  late  prey,  and  not  seeking 
p.nother  victim.  There  might  be  another  shark,  or 
many  more ;  but  for  some  time  past  one  only  had 
been  seen  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  boat;  the 
shark,  as  they  supposed,  which  had  but  recently 


TO  TUE    rescue!  21 


devoured  the  dead  body  of  the  sailor.  Trusting  to 
this  conjecture,  they  plied  the  oars  with  all  the 
little  strength  left  in  their  arms.  Still,  notwith- 
standing their  feeble  eftbrts,  and  the  impediment 
of  pulling  against  the  wind,  they  were  nearing  the 
unfortunate  man,  surely,  if  slowly. 

They  had  got  over  half  the  distance ;  less  than 
half  a  cable's  length  was  now  between  the  boat  and 
the  struggling  swimmer.  'Not  a  shark  was  to  be 
seen  on  the  water,  nor  beneath  it — no  lish  of  any 
kind — nothing  whatever  in  the  sea.  Only,  in  the 
sky  above,  a  large  bird,  whose  long  scimitar-shaped 
wings  and  grand  curving  beak  told  them  what  it 
was — an  albatross.  It  was  the  great  albatross  of 
the  Indian  seas,  with  an  extent  of  wing  beyond 
that  of  the  largest  eagle,  and  almost  equalling  the 
spread  of  the  South  American  condor.- 

They  scarce  looked  at  it,  or  even  glanced  above ; 
they  were  looking  below  for  the  zygoeiia — scanning 

*  The  albatross  is  the  largest  of  the  ocean-birds,  its  wings,  when  ex- 
tended, measuring  fifteen  feet,  and  its  weight  sometimes  exceeding 
twenty  to  twenty-four  pounds.  The  common  albatross  is  the  Di07nedea 
exulans  of  naturalists.  Its  plumage,  except  a  few  of  the  wing  leatliers, 
is  white;  its  long,  hard  beak,  which  is  very  powerful,  is  of  a  i)ah'  yellow 
color;  and  its  short,  webbed  feet  are  tiesii-colored.  It  is  frequently  met 
with  in  tlie  Souihern  Ocean.  The  species  menticmed  in  the  text  ,s  llie 
black-beaked  albatross,  which  frequents  the  Indian  waters.  Thcalbairo.-si 
's  a  formidable  enemy  to  the  sailor,  for  if  one  falls  overboard,  he  will 
assuredly  lall  a  victim  to  this  powerful  bird,  ui.less  rescued  immediaie  y 
by  his  comrades.  Its  cry  has  some  resemblance  to  that  of  the  pclicn;i  ; 
but  it  will  also,  wlien  excited,  give  vent  to  a  noise  not  unlike  the  brayiug 
of  an  ass.  The  female  makes  a  rude  nest  of  earth  on  the  sea-sliore,  and 
depositsMberciii  lu-r  solitary  egg,  which  is  about  four  inches  long,  white, 
and  spotted  at  the  largci  end. 


22  SHALL    AVE    SAVE    HIM? 

the  surface  of  the  water  around  them,  or  with  their 
eves  keenly  bent,  endeavoring  to  penetrate  its 
indigo  depths  in  search  of  the  monstrous  form. 

IS'o  shark  in  sight.  All  seemed  well ;  and  despite 
the  piteous  appeals  of  the  swimmer,  now  toiling 
with  feebler  stroke,  and  scarce  having  power  to 
sustain  himself,  they  in  the  pinnace  felt  sure  of 
bein<2:  able  to  rescue  him. 

Less  than  a  quarter  cable's  length  lay  between. 
The  boat,  urged  on  by  the  oars,  was  still  lessening 
the  distance.  Five  minutes  more,  and  they  would 
be  close  to  their  comrade,  and  lift  him  over  the 
gunwale. 

Still  no  zygcena  in  sight — no  shark  of  any  kind. 

"  Poor  fellow !  he  seems  quite  cured ;  we  shall 
be  able  to  save  him." 

It  was  Captain  Kedwood  who  thus  spoke.  The 
Irishman  was  about  making  a  little  hopeful  re- 
joinder, when  his  speech  was  cut  short  by  a  cry 
from  Saloo,  who  had  suspended  his  stroke,  as  if 
paralyzed  by  some  sudden  despair. 

The  Malay,  who,  as  well  as  Murtagh,  had  been 
sitting  with  his  back  toward  the  swimmer,  had 
slewed  himself  round  with  a  Cjuick  jerk,  that  told 
of  some  surprise.  The  movement  was  caused  by 
a  shadow  flitting  over  the  boat ;  something  was 
passing  rapidly  through  the  air  above.  It  had 
caught  the  attention  of  the  others,  who,  on  hear- 
hig  Saloo's  cry,  looked  up  along  with  him. 


THE    F.VTAL    ALBATROSS.  2^ 

Tliey  saw  only  tlie  albatross  moving  athwart  the 
sky,  no  longer  slow  sailing  as  before,  but  with  the 
swift-cutting  flight  of  a  falcon  pouncing  down 
upon  its  pi'ey.  It  seemed  descending  not  in  a 
straiglit  line,  but  in  an  acute  parabolic  curv^e,  like 
a  tliunderbolt  or  some  aerolite  projected  toward 
the  surface  of  the  sea.  But  the  bird,  with  a  whirr 
like  the  sound  of  running  spindles,  was  going  in 
a  definite  direction,  the  point  evidently  aimed  at 
beino^  the  head  of  the  swimmer ! 

A  strange  commingled  shout  arose  over  the 
ocean,  in  which  several  voices  bore  part.  Surprise 
pealed  forth  from  the  lips  of  those  in  the  boat,  and 
terror  from  the  throat  of  the  struggling  man,  while 
a  hoarse  croak  from  the  gullet  of  the  albatross, 
followed  by  what  appeared  a  mocking  scream  of 
triumph.  Then  quick  succeeded  a  crashing  sound, 
as  the  sharp,  heavy  beak  of  the  bird  broke  through 
the  skull  of  the  swimmer,  striking  him  dead,  as  if 
by  the  shot  of  a  six-pounder,  and  sending  his  life- 
less body  down  toward  the  bottom  of  the  sea ! 

It  came  not  up  again — at  all  events,  it  was 
never  more  seen  by  his  castaway  companions  ;  wlio, 
dropping  the  oars  in  sorrowful  despair,  allowed  the 
boat  to  drift  away  from  the  fatal  spot — in  whatever 
direction  the  soft-sighing  breeze  might  capriciously 
carry  it. 


CHAPTEK  lY. 


THE   CKT    OF   THE   DUGONG. 


XTIL  the  day  on  wliicli  the  ninth  sailor 
had  died  of  starvation,  and  the  tenth  had 
been  struck  dead  by  the  sea-bird,  the  cast- 
T  aways  had  taken  an  occasional  spell  at  the 
oare.  They  now  no  longer  touched,  nor  thonght 
of  them.  Weakness  prevented  them,  as  well  as 
despondency.  For  there  was  no  object  in  continu- 
ing the  toil ;  no  land  in  sight,  and  no  knowledge 
of  any  being  near.  Should  a  ship  chance  to  come 
their  way,  they  were  as  likely  to  be  in  her  track 
lying  at  rest,  as  if  engaged  in  laboriously  rowing. 
They  pemnitted  the  oars,  therefore,  to  remain  mo- 
tionless between  the  thole  pins,  themselves  sitting 
listlessly  on  the  seats,  most  of  them  with  their 
heads  bent  despairingly  downward.  The  Malay 
alone  kept  his  shining  black  eyes  on  the  alert,  as 
despair  had  not  yet  prostrated  him. 

The  long  sultry  day  that  saw  the  last  of  their 
two  sailor  comrades,  at  length  came  to  a  close, 
without  any  change  in  their  melancholy  situation. 


A    CLOUDY    NIGHT.  25 

The  fierce  hot  snn  went  down  into  tlie  bosom  of 
the  sea,  and  was  foHowed  by  the  short  tropic  twi- 
light. As  the  shades  of  night  closed  over  them, 
the  father,  kneeling  beside  his  children,  sent  np  a 
prayer  to  Ilim  who  still  held  their  lives  in  Ills 
hand ;  while  Murtagh  said  the  Amen ;  and  the 
dark-skinned  Malay,  who  was  a  Mohammedan, 
muttered  a  similar  petition  to  Allah.  It  had  been 
their  custom  every  night  and  morning,  since  part- 
ing from  the  fonndered  ship,  and  during  all  their 
long-protracted  perils  in  the  pinnace. 

Perhaps  that  evening's  vesper  was  more  fervent 
that!  those  preceding  it;  for  they  felt  they  could 
not  last  much  longer,  and  that  all  of  them  were 
slowly,  surely  dying. 

This  night,  a  thing  something  unusual,  the  sky 
became  obscured  by  clouds.  It  might  be  a  good 
omen,  or  a  bad  one.  If  a  storm,  their  frail  boat 
would  run  a  terrible  risk  of  being  swamped  ;  but 
if  rain  should  accompany  it,  there  might  be  a 
chance  of  collecting  a  little  water  upon  a  tarpaulin 
that  lay  at  the  bottom. 

As  it  turned  out,  no  rain  fell,  though  there 
arose  wdiat  might  be  called  a  storm.  The  breeze, 
springing  up  at  an  early  hour  of  the  day,  com- 
menced increasing  after  sunset. 

It  was  the  iirst  of  any  consequence  they  had 
encountered  since  taking  to  the  boat ;  and  it  blew 
right  in  the  direction  whither  they  intended  steering. 


26  HOISTING   A    SAIL. 

AYitli  the  freshening  of  the  wind,  as  it  came 
cool  upon  his  brow,  the  castaAvay  captain  seemed 
to  become  inspired  with  a  slight  hope.  It  was  the 
same  with  Murtagh  and  the  Malay. 

"  If  we  only  had  a  sail,"  muttered  the  captain, 
with  a  sigh. 

"  Sail,  cappen — lookee  talpolin  !"  said  Saloo, 
spepvking  in  "pigeon  English,"  and  pointing  to 
the  tarpaulin  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  "  Why 
no  him  makee  sail  ?" 

"  Yis,indade ;  why  not  ?"  questioned  the  Irishman. 

"  Comee,  Multa  !  you  help  me  ;  we  step  one  oal 
— it  makee  mass — we  lig  him  up  little  time." 

"All  roiglit,  Sloo,''  responded  Murtagh,  leaning 
over  and  seizing  one  of  the  oars,  while  tlie  Malay 
lifted  the  tarpaulin  from  where  it  lay  folded  up, 
and  commenced  shaking  the  creases  out  of  it. 

Yv^ith  the  dexterity  of  a  practised  sailor,  Mur- 
tagh soon  had  the  oar  upright,  and  its  end 
"  stepped,"  between  two  ribs  of  the  boat,  and 
firmly  lashed  to  one  of  the  strong  planks  that 
served  as  seats.  Assisted  by  the  captain  himself, 
the  tarpaulin  was  bent  on,  and  with  a  "  sheet" 
attached  to  one  corner,  rigged  sail-fashion.  In  an 
instant  it  caught  the  stiff  breeze,  and  bellied  out ; 
when  the  pinnace,  feeling  the  impulse,  began  to 
move  rapidly  tlirough  the  w^ater,  leaving  in  her 
wake  a  stream  of  sparkhng  phosphorescence  that 
looked  like  liquid  fire. 


THE    ALBATROSS. 


Page  26. 


BEFORE    THE    WIXD.  27 

They  had  no  compass,  and  therefore  could  not 
tell  the  exact  direction  in  which  they  were  Leiiig 
carried.  But  a  yellowish  streak  on  the  horizon, 
showing  where  the  sun  had  set,  was  still  lingering 
when  the  wind  began  to  freshen,  and  as  it  was 
one  of  those  steady,  regular  winds,  that  endure  for 
hours  without  change,  they  could  by  this  means 
guess  at  the  direction — which  was  toward  that 
part  of  the  horizon  where  the  yellowish  spot  had 
but  lately  faded  out ;  in  short,  toward  the  west. 

Westward  from  the  place  where  the  cyclone  had 
struck  the  ship,  lay  the  great  island  of  Borneo. 
They  knew  it  to  be  the  nearest  land,  and  fur  this 
had  thev  been  directini]^  the  boat's  course  ever 
since  their  di^^aster.  The  tarpaulin  now  promised 
to  bring  them  nearer  to  it  in  one  night  than  their 
oars  had  done  with  days  of  hopeless  exertion. 

It  was  a  long  twelve-hour  night ;  for  under  the 
"Line" — and  they  were  less  than  three  degrees 
from  it — tlie  days  and  nights  are  equal.  But 
throughout  all  its  hours,  the  wind  continued  to 
blow  steadily  from  the  same  quarter;  and  the 
spread  tarpaulin,  thick  and  strong,  caught  every 
puff  of  it,  acting  admirably.  It  was,  in  fact,  as 
much  canvas  as  the  pinnace  could  well  have  car- 
ried on  such  a  rough  sea-breeze,  and  served  as  a 
storm-trysail  to  run  her  before  the  wind. 

Captain  Eedwood  himself  held  charge  of  the 
tiller;  and  all  were  cheered  with  the  line  6])eed 


28  A    MYSTERIOUS    CRY. 

tliey  were  making — their  spirits  rising  in  propor- 
tion to  the  distance  passed  over.  Before  dayliglit 
came  to  add  to  their  cheerfuhiess,  they  must  liave 
made  nearly  a  hundred  niiles;  but  ere  the  day 
broke,  a  sound  fell  upon  their  ears  that  caused  a 
commotion  among  them — to  all  giving  joy.  It 
came  swelling  over  the  dark  surface  of  the  deep, 
louder  than  the  rush  of  the  water  or  the  whistling 
of  the  wind.  It  resembled  a  human  voice ;  and 
although  like  one  speaking  in  agony,  they  heard  it 
with  joy.  There  was  hope  in  the  proximity  of 
human  beings,  for  though  these  might  be  in  trou- 
ble like  themselves,  they  could  not  be  in  so  bad  a 
state.  They  might  be  in  danger  from  the  storm  ; 
but  they  would  be  strong  and  healthy — not  thirst- 
ing skeletons  like  the  occupants  of  the  pinnace. 

"  What  do  you  think  it  is,  captin  ?"  asked  the 
Irishman.     ''  Moight  it  be  some  ship  in  disthriss  ?" 

Before  the  captain  could  reply,  the  sound  came 
a  second  time  over  the  waters,  with  a  prolonged 
wail,  like  the  cry  of  a  suffering  sinner  on  his  death- 
bed. 

"The  dugong P''  exclaimed  Saloo,  this^time  rec- 
ognizing the  melancholy  note,  so  like  to  the  voice 
of  a  human  being. 

"  It  is,"  rejoined  Captain  Redwood.  "  It's  that, 
and  nothing  more." 

He  said  this  in  a  despairing  tone,  for  the  dugong, 
which  is  the  mcmatee,  or  the  sea-cow  of  the  East- 


THE  dugong's  warnino.  29 

ern  seas,  could  be  of  no  service  to  them ;  on  the 
contrary,  its  loud  wailings  spoke  of  danger  —these 
being  the  sure  precursors  of  a  storm.* 

To  him  and  Murtagh,  the  presence  of  this  strange 
cetaceous  animal  gave  no  relief;  and,  after  hearing 
its  call,  they  sank  back  to  tlieir  seats,  relapsing 
into  the  state  of  half  despondency,  half  hopefulness, 
from  which  it  had  startled  them. 

Kot  so  with  Saloo,  who  better  understood  its 
habits.  He  knew  they  were  amphibious,  and  that, 
where  the  dugong  was  found,  land  could  not  be  a 
long  way  off.  He  said  this,  once  more  arousing 
his  companions  by  his  words  to  renewed  expect- 
ancy. 

The  morning  soon  after  broke,  and  they  beheld 
boldly  outlined  against  the  fast-clearing  sky  the 
blue  mountains  of  Borneo. 

"  Land  !"  vras  the  cry  that  came  simultaneously 
from  their  lips. 

*  We  are  nnwilling  to  intermpt  the  conrpe  of  onr  narrative  by  disquisi- 
tions on  subjects  of  natural  history,  and,  therefore,  relegate  to  a  note  the 
following:  particulars  about  the  dugouf,'.  Tliis  ^.trange  mammal  belongs 
to  a  L'enus  of  the  family  Manafidce.  or  Herbivorou?  Cetacea.  The  ppecies 
of  which  a  member  was  discovered  by  our  castaways,  is  the  Ikdicore 
Indicm,  or  dugong  of  the  Indian  Archipelago ;  and,  as  we  have  said,  is 
never  found  very  far  from  land.  Its  dentition  resembles,  in  some  respects, 
that  of  the  elephant ;  and  from  the  structure  ol  its  digestible  organs  it  can 
eat  only  vegetable  food  ;  that  is,  the  filg(£y  or  weeds,  growing  on  subma- 
rine rocks  in  shallow  water.  When  it  comes  to  the  surface  to  breathe, 
it  uttei's  a  peculiar  cry,  like  the  lowing  of  a  cow.  Its  length,  when  full 
grown,  is  said  to  be  twenty  feet,  but  few  individuals  seem  to  exceed 
twelve  feet.  In  its  general  appearance  it  is  very  much  like  the  manatee^ 
or  manatus,  which  haunts  the  mouths  of  the  great  South  American  rivers. 


80 


LAND    IN     SIGHT. 


"Land — tliank  the  Lord!"  continued  tlie  Amer- 
ican skipper,  in  a  tane  of  pious  gratitude  ;  and  as 
liis  pinnace,  still  obedient  to  the  breeze  and  spread 
tarpaulin,  foro-ed  on  toward  it,  he  once  more  knelt 
down  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  caused  his  children 
to  do  the  same,  and  offered  np  a  prayer — a  fervent 
thanksgiving  to  the  God  alike  of  land  and  sea, 
who  was  a])0ut  to  deliver  him  and  his  from  tlie 
"  dangers  of  the"  deep." 


CHAPTER  y. 

RUNNING   THE   BREA.KERS. 

^SWE  Almighty  Hand  that  liad  thus  far 

^      helped  the   castaways  on   their   course, 

y,^M       Vv'ith  a  iavorino^  wind  brnio-iiiir  them  in 

^1         sight  of  Borneo's  isle,  was  not  going  to 

crush    the  sweet   hopes  thus  raised   by  wrecking 

their  boat  upon  its  shores. 

And  yet  for  a  time  it  seemed  as  if  this  were  to 
be  their  fate.  As  they  drew  near  enough  to  the 
land  to  distinguish  its  configuration,  they  saw  a 
white  line  like  a  snow-wreath  running  between  it 
and  them,  for  miles  to  right  and  left,  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach.  They  knew  it  to  be  a  barrier  of 
coral  breakers,  such  as  usually  encircle  the  islands 
of  the  Indian  seas — strong  ramparts  raised  by  tiny 
insect  creatures,  to  guard  these  fair  gardens  of 
God  against  the  assaults  of  an  ocean  that,  al- 
though customarily  cahn,  is  at  times  aroused  by 


32  THE    CORAL    REEF. 

the   typhoon^   until    it   rages    around   them   with 
dark  scowling  waves,  like  battalions  of  demons. 

On  drawing  near  these  reefs,  Captain  Redwood, 
with  the  e3^e  of  an  experienced  seaman,  saw  that 
while  the  w^ind  kept  up  there  was  no  chance  for 
the  pinnace  to  pass  them ;  and  to  run  head  on  to 
them  would  be  simply  to  dash  upon  destruction. 
Sail  was  at  once  taken  in,  by  letting  go  the  sheet, 
and  dropping  the  tarj^aulin  back  into  the  bottom 
of  the  boat.  The  oar  that  had  been  set  up  as  a 
mast  was  left  standing,  for  there  were  five  others 
lying  idle  in  the  pinnace ;  and  with  four  of  these, 
Saloo  and  Murtagh  each  taking  a  pair,  the  boat 
was  manned,  the  captain  himself  keeping  charge 
of  the  tiller.  His  object  was  not  to  approach  the 
land,  but  to  prevent  being  carried  among  the 
breakers,  which,  surging  up  snow-white,  presented 
a  perilous  barrier  to  their  advance. 

To  keep  the  boat  from  driving  on  the  dangerous 
reef,  was  just  as  much  as  the  oarsmen  could  accom- 
plish. Weakened  as  they  were,  by  long  suffering 
and  starvation,  they  had  a  tough  struggle  to  hold 
the  pinnace  as  it  were  in  statu  quo  —  all  tlie 
tougher  from  the  disproportion  between  such  a 
heavy  craft  and  the  light  oar-stroke  of  which  her 
reduced  and  exhausted  crew  were  capable. 

But  as  if  taking  pity  upon  them,  and  in  sj^m- 
pathy  with  their  efforts,  the  sun,  as  he  rose  above 
the  horizon,  seemed  to  smile  upon  them  and  hush 


A    DANGEUOUS    EXPERIMENT.  33 

the  storm  into  silence.  Tlic  wind,  that  throughout 
the  night  had  been  wliistHng  in  their  ears,  all  at 
once  fell  to  a  calm,  as  if  commanded  by  the  ma- 
jestic orb  of  day;  and  along  with  the  wind  went 
down  the  waves,  the  latter  subsiding  more  gradu- 
ally. It  was  easier  now  to  hold  the  pinnace  in 
place,  as  also  to  row  her  in  a  direction  parallel  to 
the  line  of  the  breakers ;  and,  after  coasting  for 
about  a  mile,  an  opening  was  at  length  observed 
where  the  dangerous  reef  might  perhaps  be  pene- 
trated with  safety. 

Setting  the  boat's  head  toward  it,  the  oars  were 
once  more  worked  with  the  utmost  strength  that 
remained  in  the  arms  of  the  rowers,  w4iile  her 
coui-se  was  directed  with  all  the  skill  of  which  an 
American  skipper  is  capable. 

Yet  the  attempt  was  one  of  exceeding  peril. 
Though  the  wind  had  subsided,  the  swell  w^as 
tremendous ;  billow  after  billow  being  carried 
against  the  coral  reefs  with  a  violence  known  only 
to  the  earthquake  and  the  angry  ocean.  Vast 
volumes  of  water  surged  high  on  either  side,  pro- 
jecting still  higher  their  sparkling  shafts  of  spray, 
like  the  pillars  of  a  waterspout. 

Between  them  spread  a  narrow  space  of  calm 
Bea — yet  only  comparatively  calm,  for  even  there 
an  ordinary  boat,  well  managed,  would  be  in  dan- 
ger of  getting  swamped.  What  then  was  the 
chance  for  a  huge   pinnace,  poorly  manned,  and 


34  THE    OPENING    IN   THE    REEF, 

therefore  sure  of  being  badly  trimmed  ?  It  looked 
as  if  after  all  the  advantages  that  had  arisen — that 
had  sprung  up  as  though  providentially  in  their 
favor — Captain  Redwood  and  the  small  surviving 
remnant  of  his  crew  were  to  perish  among  the 
breakers  of  Borneo,  and  be  devoured  by  the  raven- 
ous sharks  which  amidst  the  storm-vexed  reefs  find 
their  congenial  home. 

But  it  was  not  so  to  be.  The  prayer  offered  up, 
as  those  snow-white  but  treacherous  perils  iirst 
hove  in  sight,  had  been  heard  on  high ;  and  He 
who  had  guided  the  castaways  to  the  danger, 
stayed  by  their  side,  and  gave  strength  to  their 
arms  to  carry  them  through  it. 

With  a  skill  drawn  from  the  combination  of 
clear  intelligence  and  long  experience,  Captain 
Redwood  set  the  head  of  his  pinnace  straight  for 
the  narrow  and  dangerous  passage;  and  with 
a  strength  inspired  by  the  peril,  Murtagh  and 
the  Malay  pulled  upon  their  oars,  each  handling 
his  respective  pair  as  if  his  life  depended  on 
the   effort. 

With  the  united  will  of  oarsmen  and  steerer 
the  effort  w^as  successful ;  and  ten  seconds  later  the 
pinnace  was  safe  inside  the  breakers,  moving  along 
under  the  impulse  of  two"  pairs  of  oars,  that  rose 
and  fell  as  gently  as  if  they  were  pulling  her  over 
the  surface  of  some  placid  lake. 

In  less  than  ten  minutes  her  keel  touched  bottom 


LAND    AT   LAST. 


35 


on  the  sands  of  Borneo,  and  lier  crew,  stnc^p^ering 
ashore,  dropped  n})(^n  tlicir  knees,  and   in  words 
earnest  as  those  nttered  by  Colnmhiis  at  Cat  Island, 
or  the  Pilgrims  on  Plymouth  Pock,  breathed  a  d 
V  )iit  thanksirivinii:  for  their  deliverance. 


CHAPTEE  YI. 


A   GIGANTIC    OYSTER. 


^^^l^ff^ATEK !  water!" 

^        Tlie   pain   of  hunger   is   among  tlie 


hardest  to  endure,  though  tliere  is 
still  a  harder — that  of  thirst.  In  the 
first  hours  of  either,  it  is  doubtful  which  of  the 
two  kinds  of  suffering  is  the  more  severe ;  hut, 
prolonged  beyond  a  certain  point,  hunger  loses  its 
keenness  of  edge,  through  the  sheer  weakness  of 
the  sufferer,  while  the  agony  of  thii'st  knows  no 
such  relief. 

Suffering,  as  our  castaways  were,  from  want  of 
food  for  nearly  a  week,  their  thirst  was  yet  more 
agonizing  ;  and  after  the  thanksgiving  prayer  had 
passed  from  their  lips,  their  first  thought  was  of 
water — their  cry,  "  Water !  water  I" 

As  they  arose  to  their  feet  they  instinctively 
looked  around  to  see  if  any  brook  or  spring  were 
near. 

An  ocean  was  flowing  beside  them;  but  tliis 
was  not   the   kind  of  water  wanted.     They  had 


WILL    HE    FIND    IT?  37 

already  had  enough  of  tlie  briny  element,  and  did 
not  even  turn  their  eyes  npon  it.  It  was  land- 
ward they  looked  ;  scanning  the  edge  of  the  forest, 
that  came  down  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
shore — the  strip  of  sand  on  which  they  had  beached 
their  boat  trending  along  between  the  woods  and 
the  tidewater  as  far  as  the  eye  could  trace  it.  A 
short  distance  off,  however,  a  break  was  discernible 
in  the  line  of  the  sand-strip — which  they  supposed 
must  be  either  a  little  inlet  of  the  sea  itself,  or  the 
outHow  of  a  stream  If  the  latter,  then  were  they 
fortunate  indeed. 

Saloo,  the  most  active  of  the  party,  hastened  to- 
ward it ;  the  others  following  him  only  with  their 
eyes. 

They  watched  him  with  eager  gaze,  trembling 
between  hope  and  fear — Captain  lledwood  more 
apprehensive  than  the  rest.  He  knew  that  in  this 
part  of  the  Borneaii  coast  months  often  pass  with- 
out a  single  shower  of  rain ;  and  if  no  stream  or 
spring  should  be  found  they  would  still  be  in  dan- 
ger of  perl;ihing  by  thirst. 

They  saw  Saloo  bend  by  the  edge  of  the  inlet, 
Bcoop  up  some  water  in  his  palms,  and  apply  it  to 
his  lips,  as  if  tasting  it.  Only  for  an  instant,  when 
back  to  them  came  the  joyful  cry, — 

'''' Ayer  !  axjer  manis !  mnyi !''''  (Water!  sweet 
water !     A  river  !) 

Scarce   more   pleasantly,  that  morning  at  day- 


38  THE    FOUXTAIX    OF    LIFE. 

break,  had  fallen  on  tlieir  ears  the  cry  of  "  Land !" 
than  now  fell  the  announcement  of  the  Malay- 
Bailor,  making  known  the  proximity  of  water. 
Captain  Eedwood,  who  was  acquainted  with  the 
Malay  language,  translated  the  welcome  words. 
Sweet  waiter,  Saloo  had  described  it.  Emphatic- 
ally might  it  be  so  termed. 

All  hastened,  or  rather  rushed,  toward  the 
stream,  fell  prostrate  on  their  faces  by  its  edge, 
and  drank  to  a  surfeit.  It  gave  them  new  life ; 
and,  indeed,  it  had  given  them  their  lives  already, 
though  they  knew  it  not.  It  was  the  outflow  of 
its  current  into  the  ocean  that  caused  the  break  in 
the  coral  reef  through  which  their  boat  had  been 
enabled  to  pass.  Otherwise  they  might  have  found 
no  opening,  and  perislied  in  attempting  to  traverse 
the  surging  surf.  The  madrepores  will  not  build 
their  subaqueous  coral  walls  where  rivers  run  into 
the  ocean  ;  hence  the  open  spaces  here  and  there 
happily  left,  that  form  deep  transverse  channels 
admitting  the  largest  ships. 

'No  longer  sutfering  from  thirst,  its  kindred 
appetite  now  returned  with  undivided  agony,  and 
the  next  thought  was  for  something  to  eat. 

They  again  turned  their  eyes  toward  the  forest, 
and  up  the  bank  of  tlie  stream  that  came  flowing 
from  it.  But  Saloo  had  seen  something  in  the 
sea,  near  the  spot  where  the  pinnace  had  been  left ; 
and,  calling  upon  Murtagh  to  get  ready  some  dry 


A    PLEASANT    CAMPING-rLACE.  39 

wood  and  kindle  a  lire,  lie  ran  b-iek  toward  tlie 
boat. 

Murtagli,  the  rest  accompanying  liim,  walked  to 
the  edge  of  the  woods  where  the  stream  issued 
from  the  leafy  wilderness. 

Just  beyond  the  strip  of  sand  the  forest  abruptly 
ended,  the  trees  standing  tliick  together,  and  rising 
like  a  vast  vegetable  wall  to  a  height  of  over  a 
hundred  feet.  Only  a  few  straggled  beyond  this 
line.  The  very  first  of  them,  that  nearest  the  sea, 
was  a  large  elm-like  tree,  with  tall  trunk,  and 
spreading  leafy  limbs  that  formed  a  screen  from 
the  sun,  now  well  up  in  the  sky,  and  every  mo- 
ment growing  more  sultry.  It  offered  a  convenient 
camping-place;  and  under  its  cool  shadow  they 
could  recline  until  with  restored  strength  they 
might  either  seek  or  build  themselves  a  better 
habitation. 

An  ample  p^-o^-e  of  ^rv  fa^^^ots  was  l^'ing  near; 
and  Murtagh  having  collected  them  into  a  pile, 
took  out  his  flint  and  steel,  and  commenced  strik- 
ing a  light. 

Meanwhile  their  eyes  were  almost  constJtntly 
turned  toward  Saloo,  all  of  them  wondering  what 
had  taken  him  back  to  the  boat.  Their  wonder 
was  not  diminished  when  they  saw  him  pass  the 
place  where  the  pinnace  had  been  pulled  up  on  th^ 
sand,  and  wade  straight  out  into  the  water — as  il' 
he  were  going  back  to  the  breakers ! 


40  A    STONE,  OR   A   SHELL-FISH? 

Presently,  after  he  had  got  about  knee-deep, 
they  saw  him  stoop  down,  until  his  body  was 
nearly  buried  under  the  sea,  and  commence  what 
appeared  to  be  a  struggle  with  some  creature  still 
concealed  from  their  observation.  Nor  was  their 
wonder  any  the  less,  when  at  length  he  rose  erect 
again,  holding  in  his  hands  what  for  all  the  w^orld 
looked  like  a  huge  rock,  to  which  a  number  of 
small  shells  and  some  sea-weed  adhered. 

"  What  does  the  Malay  crather  want  wid  a  big 
stone?"  was  the  interrogatory  of  the  astonished 
Irishman.  "  And,  look,  captin,  it's  that  same  he's 
about  bringin'  us.  I  thought  it  moight  be  some 
kind  of  shill-fish.  Hungry  as  we  are,  we  can't 
ate  stones  !" 

"^N'ot  so  fast,  Murtagh,'-  said  the  captain,  who 
had  more  carefully  scrutinized  the  article  Saloo  had 
taken  up.  "  It's  not  a  stone,  but  what  you  lirst 
supposed  it — a  shell-fish." 

"  That  big  thing  a  shill-fish  !  Arrah  now,  cap- 
tin,  aren't  you  jokin'  ?" 

"  ]^o,  indeed.  "What  Saloo  has  got  in  his  arms, 
if  I'm  not  mistaken,  is  an  oyster." 

"  An  oysther  ?  Two  fut  in  length  and  over  one 
in  breadth.  Why,  it's  as  much  as  the  Malay  can 
carry.  Don't  yez  see  that  he's  staggerin'  under 
it?"' 

"  Yery  true ;  but  it's  an  oyster  for  all  that.  I'm 
now  sure  of  it,  as  I  can  see  its  shape,  and  the  great 


THE    SINGAPORE    OYSTER.  41 

ribs  running  over  it.  Make  haste,  and  get  yonr 
fire  kindled ;  for  it's  a  sort  of  oyster  ratlier  too 
strong-flavored  to  be  eaten  raw.  Saloo  evidently 
intends  it  to  be  ruasted." 

Mnrtagh  did  as  requested,  and  by  the  time  the 
Malay,  bearing  his  heavy  burden,  reached  the  tree, 
smoke  was  oozing  through  a  stack  of  taggots  that 
were  soon  after  ablaze. 

**  Tha,  Cappen  Ledwud,"  said  the  Malay,  fling- 
ing his  load  at  the  captain's  feet.  "  Tha  plenty 
shell-tiss — makee  all  we  big  blaktass.  Inside  And 
good  meat.  AYe  no  need  open  him.  Hot  coalee 
do  that." 

They  all  gathered  around  the  huge  shell,  sur- 
veying it  with  curiosity,  more  es]3ecially  the  young 
people. 

It  was  that  strange  testaceous  flsh  found  in  the 
Indian  seas,  and  known  to  sailors  as  the  "  Sino-a- 
pore  oystei-" — of  which  specimens  are  not  rare 
measuHng  a  yard  in  length,  and  over  eighteen 
inches  in  breadlh  at  the  widest  diameter. 

Their  curiosity,  however,  was  soon  satisfied  ;  for 
with  stomachs  craving  as  theirs,  they  were  in  no 
very  fit  condition  for  the  pursuit  of  conchological 
studies;  and  Saloo  once  more  lifting  the  large 
oyster — ^just  as  much  as  he  could  do — dropped  it 
among  the  faggots,  now  foirly  kindled  into  a  fii-e. 

More  were  heaped  around  and  over  it,  until  it 
was  buried  in  the  heart  of  a  huge  pile,  the  sea- 


42  A    SUFFICIENT   MEAL. 

weeds  that  still  clung  to  it  crackling,  and  the  salt 
water  spurting  and  spitting,  as  the  smoke,  mingled 
with  the  bright  blaze,  ascended  toward  the  over- 
shadowing branches  of  the  tree. 

In  due  time  Saloo,  who  had  cooked  Singapore 
oysters  before,  pronounced  it  sufficiently  roasted  ; 
when  the  faggots  were  kicked  aside,  and  with  a 
boat-hook,  which  Murtagh  had  brought  from  the 
pinnace,  the  oyster*  was  dragged  out  of  the  ashes. 

Almost  instantly  it  fell  open,  its  huge  valves 
displaying  in  their  concave  cups  enough  "  oyster 
meat"  to  have  afforded  a  supper  for  a  party  of 
fifteen  individuals  instead  of  hve — that  is,  fifteen 
not  so  famished  as  they  were. 

With  some  knives  and  other  utensils,  which  the 
Irishman  had  also  brought  away  from  the  boat, 
they  seated  themselves  around  the  grand  bivalve ; 
nor  did  they  arise  from  their  seats  until  the  shells 
were  scraped  clean,  and  hunger,  that  had  so  long 
tortured  them,  was  quite  banished  from  their 
thoughts. 

*  strictly  ppcakin^,  the  Singapore  oyster  is  a  gigantic  species  of  Clam 
Ttidaona). 


CHAPTEE  YII. 


A   DANGEEOrS    LOCALITY. 


,  ,  FTER  their  ample  meal  of  oyster 
"  roasted  in  the  shell,"  which  was  a  l)reak- 
1^^^^  fast  instead  of  a  supper,  they  rested  for 
""^^^-^*  the  remainder  of  the  day,  and  all  through 
the  following  night.  They  required  this  length- 
ened period  of  repose,  not  because  they  stood  in 
need  of  sleep,  but  from  the  exhaustion  of  weak- 
ness, consequent  upon  their  long  spell  of  hunger 
and  thirst. 

Tliey  slept  well,  considering  that  they  had  no 
couch,  nor  any  covering,  but  the  tattered  clothes 
they  wore  upon  their  bodies.  But  they  had  be- 
come accustomed  to  this  kind  of  bed;  as  to  one 
even  less  comfortable,  and  certainl}^  not  safer — on 
the  hard  planks  of  the  pinnace.  Kor  did  the  cold 
discomfort  them ;  for  although  the  nights  arc  colder 
on  land  than  at  sea,  and  in  the  tropics  sometimes 
even  chilly,  that  night  was  warm  throughout ;  and 
nothing  interfered  with  their  slumbers  except  some 


44  A   GLANCE    AT   THE    LANDSCAPE. 

horrid  dreams,  the  sure  sequence  of  suffering  and 
perils  such  as  they  had  been  passing  through. 

The  morning  rose  bright  and  beautiful,  as  nearly 
all  Bornean  mornings  do.  And  the  castaways  rose 
from  their  recumbent  position,  feeling  wonderfully 
restored  both  in  strength  and  spirits.  Henry  and 
Helen — these  were  the  names  of  the  young  people 
— were  even  cheerful,  inclined  to  wander  about  and 
w^onder  at  the  strange  objects  around ;  the  beautiful 
beach  of  silvery  sand ;  the  deep  blue  sea ;  the  white 
breakers  beyond,  rising  over  it  like  a  long  snow- 
wreath  ;  the  clear  fresh-water  stream  alongside,  in 
which  they  could  see  curious  fish  disporting  them- 
selves ;  the  grand  forest-trees,  among  them  stately 
palms  and  tall  lance-like  bamboos; — in  short,  a 
thousand  things  that  make  tropical  scenery  so 
charming. 

1*^0 1 withstanding  the  scenic  beauty,  there  was 
something  needed  before  it  could  be  thoroughly 
enjoyed,  and  this  was  breakfast.  The  contents  of 
the  great  oyster  had  given  full  satisfaction  for  the 
time ;  but  that  was  nearly  twenty-four  hours  ago, 
and  the  appetites  of  all  were  once  more  keenly 
whetted.  What  was  to  take  the  edge  off  them  ? 
This  was  the  question  that  occupied  their  thoughts, 
and  the  answer  was  not  so  easy. 

Saloo  went  in  search  of  another  Singapore  oyster ; 
Murtagh  started  along  the  bank  of  the  stream,  in 
the  hope  of  beguiling  some  of  the  red  and  gold  fish 


45 


he  saw  playing  "  backgammon"  in  it,  as  lie  had 
seen  the  trout  and  salmon  in  his  native  Killarney ; 
while  the  captain,  having  procured  a  rifle,  that  had 
been  brought  away  in  the  boat,  and  which  he  well 
knew  how  to  handle,  wandered  oft'  into  the  woods. 

Henry  and  Helen  remained  under  the  tree,  as 
their  father  did  not  think  there  could  be  any  dan- 
ger in  leaving  them  alone.  He  was  well  enough 
acquainted  with  the  natural  history  of  Borneo  to 
know  that  there  were  neither  lions  nor  tigers  in  the 
island.  Had  it  been  on  the  neighboring  island  of 
Sumatra,  or  some  desert  coast  of  the  mainland — in 
Malacca,  Cochin  China,  or  Hindustan — he  miglit 
have  dreaded  exposing  them  to  the  attack  of  tigers. 
But  as  there  was  no  danger  of  encountering  these 
fierce  creatures  on  the  shores  of  Borneo,  he  told 
the  children  to  stay  under  the  tree  until  he  and  the 
others  should  return. 

The  young  people  were  by  this  time  rather  tired 
of  remaining  in  a  recumbent  position.  It  was  that 
to  which  they  had  been  too  long  constrained  while 
in  the  boat,  and  it  felt  irksome  ;  moreover,  the 
oyster,  wonderfully  restoring  their  strength,  had 
brought  back  their  wonted  juvenile  vigor,  so  that 
they  felt  inclined  for  moving  about  a  bit.  For  a 
time  they  indulged  this  inclination  by  walking  to 
and  fro  around  the  trunk  of  the  tree. 

Soon,  however,  weariness  once  more  came  upon 
them,  and  they  desired  to  have  a  seat.     Squatting 


46  TAKING    A   SEAT. 

upon  the  ground  is  an  attitude  only  easy  to  sav- 
ages, and  always  irksome  to  those  accustomed  to 
habits  of  civilized  life,  and  to  sitting  upon  chairs. 
They  looked  about  for  something  upon  which  tliey 
might  sit,  but  nothing  appeared  suitable.  There 
were  neither  logs  nor  large  stones ;  for  the  beach, 
as  well  as  the  adjacent  shore,  was  composed  of  line 
drift-sand,  and  no  trees  seemed  to  have  fallen  near 
the  spot. 

"  I  have  it !"  exclaimed  Henry,  after  puzzling  liis 
brains  a  bit,  his  eye  guiding  him  to  a  settlement  of 
the  difficulty.  "  The  shells — the  big  oyster  shells — • 
the  very  things  for  us  to  sit  upon,  sister  ^ell." 

As  he  spoke,  he  stooped  down  and  commenced 
turnino;  over  one  of  the  shells  of  the  immense  hi- 
valve — both  of  which  had  been  hitherto  lying  with 
their  concave  side  uppermost.  It  was  nigh  as  much 
as  the  boy,  still  weak,  could  do  to  roll  it  over,  though 
Helen,  seeing  the  difficulty,  laid  hold  with  her  little 
hands  and  assisted  him. 

Both  the  huge  "  cockles"  were  speedily  capsized ; 
and  their  convex  surfaces  rising  nearly  a  foot  above 
the  level  of  the  ground,  gave  the  young  people  an 
excellent  opportunity  of  getting  seated. 

Both  sat  down — each  upon  a  shell — laughing  at 
the  odd  kind  of  stools  thus  conveniently  provided 
'or  them. 

They  had  not  been  long  in  their  sedentary  at- 
titude, when  a  circumstance  occurred  w^hich  told 


AN    L'NEXl'KCTED    AKlilV'AL.  47 

them  how  unsafe  a  position  they  had  chosen.  They 
were  conversing  without  fear,  when  Henry  all  at 
once  felt  something  strike  him  on  the  arm,  and  then, 
with  a  loud  crash,  drop  down  upon  the  shell  close 
under  his  elbow,  chipping  a  large  piece  out  of  it. 

His  first  impression  was  that  some  one  had  thrown 
a  stone  at  him.  It  had  hit  him  on  the  arm,  just 
creasing  it ;  but  on  looking  at  the  place  where  he 
had  been  liit,  he  saw  that  the  sleeve  of  his  jacket 
was  split,  or  rather  torn,  from  shoulder  to  elbow,  as 
if  a  shai-p-tooth  currycomb  had  been  drawn  violently 
along  it.  He  felt  pain,  moreover,  and  saw  blood 
upon  his  shirt  underneath  ! 

He  looked  quickly  around  to  ascertain  who  had 
thus  rudely  assailed  him — anxiously,  too,  for  he 
was  in  some  dread  of  seeing  a  savage  spnng  from 
the  bushes  close  by.  On  turning,  he  at  once  be- 
held the  missile  that  had  rent  his  jacket-sleeve  l.ying 
on  the  sand  beside  him.  It  was  no  stone,  but  a 
round  or  slightly  oval-shaped  ball,  as  big  as  a  ten- 
pound  shot,  of  a  deep-green  color,  and  covered  all 
over  with  spurs  like  the  skin  of  a  hedgehog ! 

He  at  once  saw  that  it  had  not  been  thrown  at 
him  by  any  person ;  for,  with  the  sharp,  prickly 
protuberances  thickly  set  all  over  it,  no  one  could 
have  laid  hand  upon  it.  Clearly  it  had  fallen  from 
the  tree  overhead.  Helen  had  perceived  this  sooner 
than  he ;  for,  sitting  a  little  way  off,  she  had  seen 
the  huge  ball  drop  in  a  perpendicular  direction — 


48  WHAT    CAX    IT   BE? 

tliougli  it  had  descended  with  the  velocity  of  light 
ning. 

Beyond  doubt  it  was  some  fruit  or  nut  from  the 
tree  under  which  they  were  seated.  From  the  way 
in  which  the  jacket-sleeve  had  suffered,  as  well  as 
the  skin  underneath — to  say  nothing  of  the  piece 
chipped  out  of  the  shell — it  was  evident  that  had 
^the  ponderous  pericarp  fallen  upon  Henry's  skull, 
it  would  have  crushed  it  as  a  bullet  would  the  shell 
of  an  egg. 

Young  as  the  two  were,  they  were  not  so  simple 
as  to  stay  in  that  spot  an  instant  longer.  On  the 
tree  that  could  send  down  such  a  dangerous  missile 
there  might  be  many  more — equally  ready  to  rain 
upon  them — and  with  this  apprehension  both  sprang 
simultaneously  to  their  feet  and  rushed  out  into  the 
open  ground,  not  stopping  till  they  believed  them- 
selves quite  clear  of  the  overshadowing  branches 
that  so  ill  protected  them.  They  looked  back  at 
the  seats  they  had  so  abruptly  vacated,  and  the 
green  globe  lying  beside  them  and  then  up  to  the 
tree;  where  they  could  see  other  similar  large 
globes,  only  at  such  a  vast  height  looking  no  bigger 
than  peaches  or  apricots. 

They  did  not  dare  to  venture  back  to  their  seats, 
nor,  although  tempted  by  a  strong  curiosity  to  ex- 
amine it,  to  approach  the  fallen  fruit.  In  fact,  the 
arm  of  Henry  was  badly  lacerated ;  and  his  little 
sister.,  on  seeing  the  blood  upon  his  shirt-sleeve, 


A   DUUION   NUT.  49 

uttered  an  alarm  tliat  broue^lit  first  Saloo,  and  then 
the  others,  alirightcd  to  the  spot. 

"AVhat  is  it?"  were  the  interrogations  of  the 
two  white  men,  as  they  came  hurrying  up,  while 
the  impressive  Malay  put  none — at  once  compre- 
hending the  cause  of  the  alarm.  He  saw  the 
scratched  arm,  and  the  huge  green  globe  lying 
upon  the  ground. 

*'  Dulion  P  he  said,  glancing  up  to  the  tree. 

"  Durion  !"  echoed  the  captain,  pronouncing  the 
word  properly,  as  translated  from  Saloo's  pigeon 
English. 

"  Yes,  cappen  ;  foolee  me  no  think  of  him  befole. 
Belly  big  danger.  It  fallee  on  skull,  skull  go 
elashee  clashee." 

This  was  evident  without  Saloo's  explanation. 
The  lacerated  arm  and  broken  shell  were  evidences 
enough  of  the  terrible  effects  that  would  have  been 
} produced  had  the  grand  pericarp  in  its  downward 
descent  fallen  upon  the  heads  of  either  of  the  chil- 
dren, and  they  all  saw  what  a  narroAV  escape  Henry 
had  of  getting  his  "  cocoa-nut"  crushed  or  split 
open. 

4 


CHAPTEE  YIII. 


SHOOTING     AT     FRUIT. 


S  soon  as  the  three  men  had  got  well 
up  to  the  ground  and  ascertained  the  cause 
v^^a  of  Helen's  alarm,  and  the  damage  done  to 
•J^  Henrj^'s  jacket  and  skin,  Murtagh  was 
the  first  to  make  a  demonstration.  He  did  so  by 
running  in  under  the  tree,  and  stooping  to  lay  hold 
of  the  fruit  that  had  caused  the  misfortune.  Saloo 
saw  him  do  this  without  giving  a  word  of  warning. 
He  was,  perhaps,  a  little  piqued  that  tlie  Irishman 
should  make  himself  so  conspicuous  about  things 
he  could  not  possibly  be  supposed  to  understand, 
and  which  to  the  Mahiy  himself  were  matters  of 
an  almost  special  knowledge.  There  was  a  twinkle 
of  mischief  in  his  eye  as  he  contemplated  the 
meddling  of  Murtagh,  and  waited  for  tne  denoue- 
ment. 

The  latter,  rashly  grasping  the  spiny  fruit,  did 
not  get  it  six  inches  abov^e  the  ground,  before  he  let 
go  again,  as  if  it  had  been  the  hottest  of  hot 
"  purtatees." 


EXPEKIEXTIA    POCET.  51 

"  Ocli,  and  wliat  have  I  done  now !"  lie  cried, 
"  I'm  jagged  all  over.  There  isn- 1  a  smooth  spot 
npon  it— not  so  much  as  a  shank  to  take 
howlt  of!'' 

"  You  takee  care,  Multa,"  cautioned  Saloo. 
"  You  lookee  aloff*.  May  be  you  get  jagee  in  de 
skull !" 

Murtagh  took  the  hint,  and,  giving  one  glance 
upward,  ran  back  with  a  roar  from  under  the 
shadow  of  the  tree. 

The  Malay,  seemingly  satisfied  with  his  triumph, 
now  glided  undenieath  the  durion,  and  keeping 
his  eye  turned  upward,  as  if  intently  watching 
something,  he  struck  the  fruit  with  the  piece  of 
pointed  stick  which  he  had  been  using  in  the  search 
after  Singapore  oysters,  and  sent  it  spinning  out 
upon  the  open  sand  beach.  Then  following,  he 
took  out  his  knife,  and  inserting  the  blade  among 
its  thickly  set  spines,  cleft  it  open,  displaying  the 
pulp  inside. 

There  was  enough  to  gi  ve  each  person  a  taste  of 
this  most  luscious  of  fruits,  and  make  them  desirous 
of  more ;  even  had  they  not  been  hungry.  But 
the  appetites  of  all  were  now  keen,  and  neither  the 
chase  nc^r  the  fishery  had  produced  a  single  thing 
to  satisfy  them.  All  three  had  returned  empty- 
handed.  The]-e  were  many  more  nuts  on  the 
durion-tree.  Tliey  could  see  scores  of  the  ])rickly 
pericarps  hanging  overhead,  but  so  high  as  to  make 


52  THE    GRAPES   ARE    SOtTR. 

the  obtaining  of  them  apparently  impossible.  They 
were  as  far  away  as  the  grapes  from  the  fox  of  the 
fable. 

The  stem  of  the  tree  rose  over  seventy  feet 
before  throwing  out  a  single  branch.  It  was  smooth, 
moreover,  offering  neither  knot  nor  excrescence  for 
a  foothold.  For  all  this  Saloo  could  have  climbed 
it,  had  he  been  in  proper  strength  and  condition. 
But  he  was  not  so.  He  was  still  weak  from  the 
effects  of  his  suffering  at  sea. 

Something  more  must  be  had  to  eat — whether 
game,  fish,  or  shell-hsh. 

The  one  great  oyster  appeared  to  be  astray. 
Saloo  had  begun  to  despair  of  being  able  to  tind 
another.  The  fruit  of  the  durion  proved  not  only 
pleasant  eating,  but  exceedingly  nutritious.  It 
would  sustain  them,  could  they  only  get  enough  of 
it.     How  was  this  to  be  obtained  ? 

For  a  time  they  stood  considering ;  when  Cap- 
tain Kedwood  became  impressed  with  an  original 
idea. 

In  addition  to  his  own  rifle,  a  large  ship's  musket 
had  been  put  into  the  pinnace.  He  thought  of 
chain-shot,  and  its  effects;  and  it  occurred  to  him 
iheri  by  this  meai\^  the  durions  might  be  brought 
down  from  their  lofty  elevation. 

No  sooner  conceived  than  carried  into  execution. 
The  musket  was  loaded  with  a  brace  of  balls  united 
by  a  piece  of  stout  tarred  string.    A  shot  was  fired 


WHAT    CAN    IT    BE  ? 


Page  52 


NECESSITY  THE  MOTHER  OF  INVENTION.  53 

into  tlie  tree,  aimed  at  a  place  wliere  the  fruit 
appeared  tliickest.  There  was  liavoc  made  among 
the  adjacent  leaves ;  and  live  or  six  of  the  great 
pericarps  came  crashing  to  the  earth.  A  repetition 
of  the  tiring  brought  down  nearly  a  dozen,  enough 
to  furnish  the  whole  party  with  food  for  at  least 
another  twenty-four  hours. 

Having  collected  the  fallen  pericai-ps,  they  carried 
them  to  another  tree  that  stood  near,  amid  whose 
leafy  branches  appeared  to  be  no  fruits  either  so 
sweet  to  the  lips  or  dangerous  to  the  skull. 

Thither  also  they  transferred  their  quarters, 
along  with  the  paraphernalia  brought  up  from  the 
boat,  intending  to  make  a  more  permanent  encamp- 
ment under  the  newly  chosen  tree. 

For  the  time  they  kindled  no  fire,  as  the  weather 
was  warm  enough,  and  the  durions  did  not  require 
cooking ;  and  while  making  their  mid-day  meal  of 
the  raw  fruit,  Saloo  interested  them  by  relating 
some  particulars  of  the  tree  from  wdiich  it  had  been 
obtained. 

We  shall  not  follow  the  Malay's  exact  words,  for, 
as  spoken  in  "pigeon  English,"  they  would  scarce 
be  understood ;  but  shall  lay  before  our  readers 
some  account  of  this  strange  and  valuable  fndt-tree, 
culled  partly  from  Saloo's  description  and  partly 
from  other  sources. 

The  durion  is  a  forest-tree  of  the  loftiest  order, 
bearing  resemblanee  to  the  elm,  only  with  a  smooth 


54  THE    DURION-TEEE. 

bark,  wliicli  is  also  scaly.  It  is  found  growing 
throughout  most  of  the  islands  of  the  Indian 
Archipelago ;  and,  like  the  mangosteen,  does  not 
thrive  well  in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  This 
is  perhaps  the  reason  its  fruit  is  so  little  known 
elsewhere,  as  when  rij)e  it  will  not  bear  transporta- 
tion to  a  great  distance.  The  fruit  is  nearly  globe- 
shaped,  though  a  little  oval,  i*nd  in  size  equals  the 
largest  cocoa-nut. 

As  the  reader  already  knows,  it  is  of  a  green 
color,  and  covered  with  short  stout  spines,  very 
sharp  pointed,  whose  bases  touch  each  other,  and 
are  consequently  somewhat  hexagonal  in  shape. 
With  this  chevaux-de-frise  it  is  so  completely 
armed,  that  when  the  stalk  is  broken  close  olf  it  is 
impossible  to  take  up  the  fruit  without  having  one's 
fingers  badly  pricked.  The  outer  rind  is  tough 
and  strong,  that  no  matter  from  what  height  the 
fruit  fall  it  is  never  crushed  or  broken.  From  the 
base  of  the  fruit  to  its  apex,  live  faint  lines  may  be 
traced  running  among  the  spines.  These  form  the 
divisions  of  the  carpels,  where  the  fruit  can  be  cut 
open  with  a  sharp  knife,  though  requiring  a  con- 
siderable exertion  of  strength.  The  hve  cells  found 
within  are  of  a  silken  white  color,  each  filled  with 
an  oval-shaped  mass  of  cream-colored  pulp  contain- 
ing several  seeds  of  the  size  of  chestnuts.  The 
pulp  foi-ms  the  edible  portion  of  the  fruit,  and  its 
consistence  and  flavor  are  both  difficult  to  be  de- 


A    NEW    SEXSATION.  55 

scnbed.     Mr.  AVjillace,  the  celebrated  liuntcr  natu- 
ralist, thus  quaintly  describes  it: 

"  A  rich,  butter-like  custard,  highly  flavored 
with  almonds,  gives  the  best  general  idea  of  it ; 
but  interniino^led  with  it  come  wafts  of  flavor  that 
call  to  mind  cream-cheese,  onion-sauce,  brown- 
sherrv,  and  other  incongruities.  Then  there  is  a 
rich  glutinous  smoothness  in  the  pulp,  which  noth- 
ing else  possesses,  but  which  adds  to  its  delicacy. 
It  is  neither  acid,  nor  sweet,  nor  juicy ;  yet  one 
feels  the  want  of  none  of  these,  qualities,  for  it  is 
perfect  as  it  is.  It  produces  no  nausea,  or  other 
bad  eff*ects ;  and  the  more  you  eat  of  it  the  less 
you  feel  inclined  to  stop.  In  fact,  to  eat  durions 
is  a  new  sensation,  worth  a  voyage  to  the  East  to 
experience.  When  the  fruit  is  ripe  it  tails  of  itself; 
aiul  the  only  way  to  eat  durions  to  perfection  is  to 
get  them  as  they  fall,  and  the  smell  is'  then  less 
overpowering.  When  unripe,  it  makes  a  very  good 
vegetable  if  cooked,  and  it  is  also  eaten  by  the 
Dyaks  raw.  In  a  good  fruit  season  large  quantities 
are  preserved  salted,  in  jars  and  bamboos,  and  kept 
the  year  round,  when  it  acquires  a  most  disgusting 
odor  to  Europeans,  but  the  Dyaks  appreciate  it 
highly  as  a  relish  with  their  rice.  There  are  in  the 
forest  two  varieties  of  wild  durions  with  much 
smaller  fruits,  one  of  them  orange-colored  inside. 
It  would  not  perhaps  be  correct  to  say  that  the 
durion  is  the  best  of  all  fruits,  because  it  cannot 


56  A    DAXGEROUS    FKUIT. 

supply  tlie  place  of  a  sub-acid  juicy  kind,  sucfi  as 
the  orange,  grape,  mango,  and  mangosteen,  whose 
refreshing  and  cooling  qualities  are  so  wholesome 
and  grateful ;  but  as  producing  a  food  of  the  most 
exquisite  flavor,  it  is  unsurpassed.  If  I  had  to  fix 
on  two  only  as  representing  the  perfection  of  the 
two  classes,  I  should  certainly  choose  the  durion 
and  the  orange  as  the  king  and  queen  of  fruits. 

"  The  durion  is  however  sometimes  dans^erous. 
When  the  fruit  begins  to  ripen  it  falls  daily  and 
ahnost  hourly,  and  accidents  not  unfrequently 
happen  to  persons  walking  or  working  under  the 
trees.  When  the  durion  strikes  a  man  in  its  fall  it 
produces  a  dreadfid  wound,  the  strong  spines  tear- 
ing open  the  flesh,  wdiilst  the  blow  itself  is  very 
heavy;  but  from  this  very  circumstance  death 
rarely  ensues,  the  copious  effusion  of  blood  pre 
venting  the  inflammation  which  might  otherwise 
take  place.  A  Dyak  chief  informed  me  that  he 
had  been  struck  by  a  durion  falling  on  his  head, 
which  he  thought  would  certainly  have  caused  his 
death,  yet  he  recovered  in  a  very  short  time." 

Both  the  natives  of  the  Malayan  Archipelago 
and  strangers  residing  there  regard  the  durion  as 
superior  to  all  other  kinds  of  fruit — ^in  short,  the 
flnest  in  the  world.  The  old  traveller,  Luischott, 
wanting  of  it  as  early  as  1599,  says  that  in  flavor 
it  surpasses  all  other  fruits.  While  another  old 
traveller,  Doctor  Paludanus,  thus  speaks  of  it: 


travellers'  tales.  57 

"This  fniit  is  of  a  hot  and  humid  nature.  To 
those  not  used  to  it,  it  seems  at  lirst  k)  smell  like 
rotten  onions,  but  immediately  they  have  tasted  it 
they  prefer  it  to  all  other  food.  The  natives  give 
it  honorable  titles,  exalt  it,  and  make  verses 
on  it."  * 


*  To  these  particulars  we  may  add  that  the  durion  (Durio  zibefhinus) 
beloni,'9  to  the  natural  family  of  StercidiaceiT,  of  the  eame  sub-order 
(Bombacea)  as  the  silk-cotton  tree.  It  ^row?  to  a  great  stature;  its 
leaves  are  like  those  of  the  cherry,  and  its  pale  yellow  flowers  hanjr  in 
large  bunches.  Each  tree  yields  about  two  hundred  fruit  in  a  year.  The 
fruit  contains  ten  to  twelve  seede,  as  larce  as  pii,'eons  ejrgs,  and  these, 
when  roasted,  are  as  good  as,  and  taste  very  much  like,  roasted 
chestuuts. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


GAGGING   A   GAYIAL. 


FTER  finishing  tlieir  dinner  of  durions 
the  three  men  again  sallied  forth  to 
^  see  whether  something  more  substan- 
'iMJ\  tial  could  be  found  for  a  later  repast — - 
either  flesh,  fowl,  or  fish.  As  before,  they  went  in 
different  directions — Captain  Redwood  into  the 
forest,  Murtagh  up  the  stream,  and  Saloo  along 
the  sea-beach,  where  he  waded  out  into  the  water, 
still  in  the  hope  of  picking  up  another  large  oyster. 
He  took  with  him  a  stalk  of  bamboo,  pointed  at 
one  end,  to  be  used  as  a  probe  in  the  soft  bottom 
in  case  any  oysters  might  be  lying  perdu  beneath 
the  sand. 

Henry  and  Helen  were  again  left  to  themselves, 
but  this  time  they  were  not  to  remain  seated  under 
any  tree — at  least  not  all  the  time.  The  fathei", 
before  leaving,  had  enjoined  upon  both  of  them  to 
take  a  bath ;  ablution  having  become  very  neces- 
sary on  account  of  their  having  been  so  long 
cribbed  up  in  the  somewhat  dirty  pinnacle.  It 
would  be  also  of  service  in  promoting  their  restor- 


A    CRY    OF    DISTRES3.  59 

ation  to  health  and  strength.  Tliev  ^'cnt  into  the 
M-ater,  not  togetlier,  hut  at  some  distant  apart — 
Henry  choosing  to  go  down  to  the  sea,  while 
Helen  entered  the  stream  close  by,  as  it  had  clear 
water  with  a  smooth,  sandy  bed ;  besides,  she 
thought  it  was  safer,  being  free  from  surf  or  cur- 
rents. 

It  was  only  safer  in  appearance,  as  the  sequel 
proved ;  for  the  hunters  and  fisherman  had  scarce 
scattered  oif  out  of  hearing,  when  a  cry  broke  upon 
the  still  air  of  noon  that  startled  the  bright-\^'inged 
birds  of  the  Bornean  forest,  and  stopped  their 
songs  as  quickly  as  would  have  done  a  shot  from 
Captain  Eedwood's  riHe.  It  was  heard  by  the 
captain  himself,  strolling  among  the  tree  trunks, 
and  looking  aloft  for  game ;  by  Murtagh  on  the 
river  bank,  endeavoring  to  beguile  the  sly  iish  to 
his  baited  hook ;  by  Saloo,  wading  knee-deep  in 
search  of  Singapore  oysters ;  and  by  Henry  swim- 
ming about  upon  the  buoyant  incoming  tide.  More 
distinctly  than  all  the  rest,  the  little  Helen  heard 
it — since  it  was  she  who  gave  it  utterance. 

It  was  a  cry  of  distress,  and  brought  all  the 
others  together,  and  running  toward  the  point 
whence  it  came.  There  was  no  difficulty  about 
their  knowing  the  direction,  for  one  and  all  recog- 
nized Helen's  voice,  and  knew  where  she  had  been 
left. 

In  less   than   sixty   seconds'   time   they   stood 


60  APPROACH    OF    THE    GAVIAL. 

together  upon  the  bank  of  the  stream,  on  the 
same  spot  from  which  they  had  parted ;  and  there 
beheld  a  spectacle  that  thrilled  them  with  fear, 
»and  filled  them  with  horror. 

The  girl,  finding  it  not  deep  enough  by  the 
edge  of  the  stream — at  this  point  nearly  a  hundred 
yards  in  width — had  waded  midway  across,  where 
it  came  quite  up  to  her  neck ;  and  there  she  stood, 
her  head  alone  showing  above  the  surface.  Beyond 
her,  and  coming  from  the  opposite  side,  showed 
another  head,  so  hideous  it  was  no  wonder  that,  on 
first  perceiving  it,  she  had  given  way  to  afi*right, 
and  voice  to  her  terror. 

It  Vv^as  the  head  of  an  enormous  reptile,  of  lizard 
shape,  that  had  crawled  out  from  a  reedy  covert  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  having  silently 
let  itself  down  into  the  water,  was  now  swimming 
toward  the  terrified  bather.  There  could  be  no 
mistaking  the  monster's  intent,  for  it  was  coming 
straight  toward  its  victim. 

^'A  gavialP^  cried  Saloo,  as  his  eyes  rested  on 
the  body  of  the  huge  saurian,  full  twenty  feet  in 
length,  with  its  head  over  a  yard  long,  and  jaws 
nearly  the  same,  the  upper  one  surmounted  by  a 
long  knob-like  protuberance,  that  distinguishes  it 
from  all  other  reptiles. 

"  A  gavial !"  echoed  the  othei's,  thougli  not  in- 
quiringly ;  for  they  knew  too  well  both  the  shape  and 
character  of  the  creature  that  was  crossing  the  river. 


WHAT   SHALL   BE    DONE?  61 

As  all  four  iirgt  readied  the  bank — arriving 
nearly  at  the  same  instant  of  time — there  were 
about  twenty  yards  between  the  hideous  saurian 
and  her  who  seemed  destined  to  destruction.  On 
Urst  perceiving  her  danger,  the  girl  had  made  a 
few  plunges  to  get  back  to  the  bank ;  but,  hindered 
by  the  depth  to  wdiich  she  had  unwarily  waded, 
and  overcome  by  terror,  she  had  desisted  from  the 
attempt ;  and  now  stood  neck-deep,  giving  utter- 
ance to  cries  of  despair. 

What  was  to  be  done?  In  less  than  a  minute 
more  the  jaws  of  the  saurian  would  close  upon  her, 
crashing  her  lair,  tender  form  betw^een  its  teeth  as 
though  she  were  only  some  ordinary  prey — a  lish, 
or  the  stem  of  some  succulent  water-plant ! 

Her  father  stood  on  the  bank  a  very  picture  of 
distress.  Of  what  use  the  rifle  held  half-raised  in 
his  hands?  Its  bullet,  not  bigger  than  a  pea, 
would  strike  upon  the  skull  of  such  a  huge  crea- 
ture harmlessly,  as  a  drop  of  hail  or  rain.  Even 
could  he  strike  it  in  the  eye — surging  through  the 
water  as  it  w^as,  a  thing  so  uncertain — that  would 
not  hinder  it  from  the  intent  so  near  to  accomplish- 
ment. The  Irishman,  with  only  iish-hooks  in  his 
liand,  felt  equally  impotent ;  and  what  could  the 
boy  Henry  do,  not  only  unarmed  but  undressed — 
in  short,  just  as  he  had  been  bathing^m  j^z^m 
naturalihus  f 

All  three  were  willing  to  rush  into  the  vrater, 


62         THE  MALAY  TO  THE  RESCUE. 

and  getting  between  the  reptile  and  its  victim, 
confront  the  lierce  creature,  even  to  their  own 
certain  sacrifice. 

And  this,  one,  or  other,  or  all  of  them,  would 
have  done,  had  thej  not  been  prevented  by  Saloo. 
With  a  loud  shout  the  Malay,  hitherto  apparently 
impassive,  called  upon  them  to  hold  back.  They 
obeyed,  seeing  that  he  intended  to  act,  and  had 
already  taken  his  measures  for  rescuing  the  girl. 
They  could  not  tell  what  these  were,  and  only 
guessed  at  them  by  what  they  saw  in  his  hands. 
It  w^as  nothing  that  could  be  called  a  weapon- 
only  a  piece  of  bamboo,  pointed  at  one  end,  which 
he  had  taken  from  among  the  embers  of  last 
night's  fire  and  sharpened  with  his  knife,  when  he 
went  off  in  search  of  the  Singapore  oysters.  It 
was  the  same  stick  he  had  been  using  to  probe  for 
them  under  the  sand.  On  seeing  the  gavial  as  it 
started  tow^ard  the  girl,  he  had  quickly  drawn  out 
his  knife,  and  sharpened  the  other  end  of  the  stake 
while  coming  across  the  beach. 

With  this  sorry  apology  for  a  weapon,  and  while 
they  were  still  wondering,  he  dashed  into  the 
stream ;  and  almost  before  any  of  the  others  had 
recovered  from  their  first  sui-prise,  they  saw  him 
plunge  past  the  spot  wdiere  stood  the  affrighted 
girl.  In  another  instant  his  .black  head,  w^ith  the 
long  dark  hair  trailing  behind  it,  appeared  in  close 
juxtaposition  to  the  opened  jaws  of  the  reptile. 


GAGGING    THE    GAVIAL.  63 

Then  the  head  was  seen  suddenly  to  duck  l)eneath 
the  surface,  while  at  the  same  time  a  brown-skinned 
arm  and  hand  rose  above  it  with  a  pointed  stake  in 
its  grasp — like  tlie  emblematic  representation  seen 
upon  some  ancient  crest.  Then  was  seen  an  adroit 
turning  of  the  stick,  so  quick  as  to  be  scarce  per- 
ceptible—  immediately  follo'sved  by  a  backward 
spring  upon  the  part  of  the  lizard,  with  a  series  of 
writhings  and  contortions,  in  which  both  its  body 
and  tail  took  part,  till  the  water  around  it  was 
lashed  into  foam. 

In  the  midst  of  this  commotion,  the  head  of  the 
Mahiy  once  more  appeared  above  the  surface,  close 
to  that  of  the  girl;  who,  under  the  guidance  of 
her  strangely-skilled  and  truly  courageous  rescuer, 
was  conducted  to  the  bank,  and  delivered  safe  into 
her  father's  arms  ;  stretched  open  to  embrace  her. 

It  was  some  time,  however,  before  the  stream 
recovered  its  wonted  tranquillity.  For  nearly  half 
an  hour  the  struggles  of  the  great  saurian  con- 
tinued, its  tail  lashing  the  water  into  foam,  as 
through  its  gagged  jaws  a  stream  rushed  constantly 
down  its  throat,  causing  suffocation.  But,  in  spite 
of  its  amphibious  nature,  drowning  was  inevitable ; 
and  soon  after  became  an  accomplished  fact — the 
huge  reptilian  carcass  drifting  down  stream,  toward 
the  all-absorbing  ocean,  to  become  food  for  sharks, 
or  some  other  marine  monster  more  hideous  and 
ravenous  than  itself. 


64  ZOOLOGICAL  DETAILS. 

If,  indeed,  a  more  hideous  and  ravenous  monster 
is  to  be  found  I  It  is  sometimes  called  the  Gan- 
getic  crocodile,  but  it  is  even  uglier  than  either 
ci-ocodile  or  alligator,  and  differs  from  both  in 
several  important  particulars. 

As,  for  instance,  in  its  mouth — its  jaws  being 
curiously  straight,  long,  and  narrow;  and  in  the 
shape  of  its  head,  which  has  straight  pei-pendicular 
sides,  and  a  quadrilateral  upper  surface.  It  has 
double,  or  nearly  double,  the  number"^  of  the  teeth 
of  the  crocodile  of  the  Nile,  though  the  latter  is 
well  enough  supplied  with  these  potent  implements 
of  destruction ! 

It  is  an  amphibious  animal,  and  fond  of  the 
water,  in  which  its  webbed  hind  feet  enable  it  to 
move  with  considerable  celerity. 

The  huge  reptile  which  threatened  Helen's 
safety  was  twenty  feet  in  length,  but  the  gavial 
sometimes  attains  the  extraordinary  dimensions  of 
eight  to  nine  yards. 

Sincere  was  the  gratitude  of  Captain  Redwood 
for  the  address  and  courage  displayed  by  the  Malay 
in  rescuing  his  daughter,  and  his  regret  was  great 
that  he  had  no  means  of  rev/arding  his  faithfid 
follower. 

♦  As  many  as  one  hundred  and  twenty. 


^^^^9k^ 


CHAPTER  X. 


BURROWING    BIRDS. 


^^IIE  fruit  diet,  however  delicious,  was 
not  strengtliening.  Saloo  said  so,  and 
Murtagh  agreed  with  him.  The  Irish- 
f"  man  declared  he  would  rather  have  a 
meal  of  plain  "  purtatees  and  buttermilk,"  though 
a  bit  of  bacon,  or  even  ship's  "junk,"  would  be 
more  desirable. 

All  agreed  that  a  morsel  of  meat  —  whether 
salted  or  fresh — would  be  highly  beneficial;  in- 
deed, almost  necessary  to  the  complete  restoration 
of  their  strength. 

How  was  animal  food  to  be  procured?  The 
forest,  so  far  as  Captain  lledwood  had  explored  it, 
seemed  altogether  untenanted  by  li^^ng  creature. 
He  had  now  been  tramping  for  upward  of  an  hour 
among  the  trees  without  seeing  either  bird  or 
quadruped.  And  although  there  were  lish  in  tlie 
stream,  and  should  have  been  shell-lish  along  the 
sea-beach,  neither  Murtag^h   nor   Saloo   had   suc- 


ceeded  in 


any. 
5 


A  keen 


for 


66  WANTED  :    SOMK    EGGS. 

animal  food  had  gi*own  upon  them,  and  they  were 
not  without  some  regretful  thoughts  at  having  per- 
mitted the  dead  gavial  to  drift  out  to  sea.  JEven 
from  the  carcass  of  the  saurian  they  might  have 
obtained  stakes  that,  if  not  very  dainty  or  delicate, 
would  at  least  have  been  eatable. 

Discouraged  by  their  want  of  success,  and  still 
feeling  feeble,  they  did  not  go  out  again  that  day, 
but  remained  resting  under  the  tree. 

While  they  were  munching  their  evening  meal 
— of  durions,  as  the  dinner  had  been — the  Malay 
commenced  discoursing  upon  eggs,  which  set  them 
all  thinking  about  them.  If  they  only  had  a  few, 
it  would  be  just  the  very  thing  to  nourish  and 
give  them  strength.  But  where  were  the  eggs  to 
be  obtained?  This  was  the  question  asked  him  by 
the  Irishman,  who  could  at  that  moment  have 
eaten  a  dozen,  boiled,  fried,  poached,  in  omelette, 
or  even,  as  he  said  himself,  have  "  sucked"  them. 

"  Iggs  indade !"  he  exclaimed,  as  Saloo  made 
mention  of  the  article ;  "  I'd  loike  to  see  one,  an' 
could  ate  a  basketful  of  them,  if  they  were  as  big 
as  swans'.    What  puts  iggs  in  your  head,  nigger  V^ 

"Eggs  no  long  way  oif,"  rejoined  the  Malay. 
"Plenty  egg  if  we  knowee  whale  find  'em." 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?    Ye're  ravin',  Saloo." 

"No  lavin,  Multa.  You  heal  lass  night  the 
malee  ?     All  night  longee  he  cly  wail." 

"  Hear  the  malee.     What's  that  ?" 


THE    SUPPOSED   BANSHEE.  67 

"Bijz:o:ee  fowl  like  tulkey.  Saloo  heal  liim. 
Make  moan  likee  man  go  die." 

"  Oeli,  tliair  was  that,  thrue  enougli.  I  heenl 
something  scramin'  all  the  night.  I  thought  it 
miglit  be  a  banshee*,  if  thair  is  that  crayther  in 
this  counthry.  A  bird,  you  say  ?  What  of  that  ? 
Its  squalling  won't  give  us  any  iggs,  nor  lade  to  its 
nest  nayther." 

"  Ness  not  belly  fal  way.  Malee  make  ness  in 
sand  close  to  sea-shole.  Mollow  monin'  I  go 
lookee,  maybe  iindee." 

All  throughout  the  preWous  night  they  had 
heard  a  voice  resounding  along  the  shore  in  loud, 
plaintive  w^ailings,  and  Captain  Redwood  had 
remarked  its  being  a  strange  note  to  him,  never 
having  heard  the  like  before.  lie  believed  the 
cries  to  come  from  some  species  of  sea-fowl  that 
frequented  the  coast,  but  did  not  think  of  the 
pi'obabilty  of  their  nests  being  close  at  hand.  As 
day  broke  he  had  looked  out  for  them  in  hopes  of 
getting  a  shot.  Even  had  they  been  gulls,  he 
would  have  been  glad  of  one  or  two  for  breakfast. 
But  there  w^ere  no  birds  in  sight,  not  even  gulls. 

Saloo  now  told  them  that   the  screams  heard 


*  Tiie  Baii^^hee,  or  Benshie,  poinotimes  called  the  Shrinking  Woman, 
i?  an  )ma;;niiary  being,  supposed  by  the  Irish  to  predict,  by  her  shrieks 
and  wails,  the  death  of  t<ome  member  in  the  family  over  which  she  ex- 
ercises a  kind  of  supervision.  To  this  fable  Moore  alludes  in  one  of  hia 
eongi — 

"  How  ofi  has  the  Beusheu  cried." 


68  THE    CAMPBELLS   ARE   COMING. 

during  the  night  did  not  come  from  sea-fowl,  but 
from  birds  of  a  very  different  kind,  that  had  their 
home  in  the  forest,  and  only  came  to  the  sea-coast 
during  their  season  of  breeding ;  that  their  pres- 
ence was  for  this  purpose,  and  therefore  denoted 
the  proximity  of  their  nests. 

While  they  were  yet  speaking  on  the  subject, 
their  eyes  were  suddenly  attracted  to  a  number  of 
the  very  birds  about  which  they  were  in  converse. 
There  was  quite  a  flock  of  them — nearly  fifty  in 
all.  They  were  not  roosted  upon  the  trees,  nor 
flying  through  the  air,  but  stepping  along  the 
sandy  beach  with  a  sedate  yet  stately  tread,  just 
like  barn-door  fowl  on  their  march  toward  a  field 
of  freshly-sown  grain,  here  and  there  stooping  to 
pick  up  some  stray  seed.  They  were  about  the 
size  of  Cochin-Chinas,  and  from  their  flecked 
plumage  of  glossy  black  and  rose-tinted  white 
color,  as  well  as  from  having  a  combed  or  helmeted 
head,  and  carrying  their  tails  upright,  they  bore  a 
very  striking  resemblance  to  a  flock  of  common 
hens. 

They,  in  fact,  belonged  to  an  order  of  birds 
closely  allied  to  the  gallinaceous  tribe,  and  repre- 
senting it  on  the  continent  of  Australia  as  also  in 
several  of  the  Austro-Malayan  islands,  where  the 
true  gallinacece  do  not  exist.  There  are  several 
distinct  species  of  them ;  some,  as  the  tallegalla 
or  "  brush   turkey"  of  Australia,  approaching  in 


THE    MOUXD-BUTLDERS.  69 

form  and  general  appearance  to  tlie  tnrkey,  %\liile 
otliei-s  resemble  the  common  fowl,  and  still  otiiers 
might  be  regarded  as  a  species  of  pheasant.  They 
liave  the  singular  habit  of  depositing  their  eggs  in 
mounds  of  rubbish,  which  they  scrape  together  for 
tliis  purpose,  and  then  leave  them  to  what  miglit 
appear  a  sort  of  spontaneous  incubation.  Hence 
they  are  usually  called  "  mound-builders,"  though 
they  do  not  all  adhere  to  the  habit;  some  of  them 
choosing  a  very  different  though  somewhat  analo- 
gous mode  of  getting  their  eggs  hatched.  Natural- 
ists have  given  them  the  name  of  megwpoda,  on 
account  of  their  very  large  feet,  which,  provided 
with  long  curved  claws,  enable  them  to  scratch  the 
ground  deeply  and  rake  together  the  rubbish  into 
heaps  for  the  safe  deposit  of  their  eggs. 

Sometimes  these  megapodes,  as  the  Australians 
call  them,  for  they  are  as  common  in  Australia  as 
Borneo,  raise  heaps  of  hfteen  feet  in  height,  and 
not  less  than  sixty  feet  in  circumference  at  the  base. 

They  are  large  and  heavy  birds,  nnwieldy  in 
their  motions,  slow  and  lumbering  in  their  fliglit. 
Their  legs  are  thick,  and  their  toes  are  also  thick 
and  long. 

There  is  some  difference  between  their  nest- 
building  ways  and  those  of  the  tallegalla ;  yet,  on 
the  whole,  the  similarity  is  very  striking,  as  may 
be  seen  from  the  following  account. 

Tracing  a  circle  of  considerable  radius,  says  Mr. 


10  A   CURIOUS   NEST. 

"Wood,  the  birds  begin  to  travel  round  it,  continu- 
ally grasping  with  their  large  feet  the  leaves,  and 
grasses,  and  dead  twigs  w^liich  are  lying  about,  and 
flino^ino^  them  inward  toward  the  centre.  Each 
time  they  linish  their  rounds  they  narrow  their 
circle,  so  that  they  soon  clear  away  a  large  circular 
belt,  having  in  its  centre  a  low,  irregular  heap. 
By  repeating  the  operation  they  decrease  the  di- 
ameter of  the  mound  while  increasing  its  height, 
until  at  length  a  large  and  rudely  conical  mound 
is  formed. 

Next  they  scrape  out  a  cavity  of  about  four 
feet  in  the  middle  of  the  heap,  and  here  deposit 
the  eggs,  which  are  afterward  covered  up,  to  be 
hatched  by  the  combined  effects  of  fermentation 
and  the  sun.  But  the  bird  does  not  thus  escape 
any  of  the  cares  of  maternity,  for  the  male  watches 
the  eggs  carefully,  being  endowed  with  a  wonderful 
instinct  which  tells  him  the  temperature  suitable 
for  tliem.  Sometimes  he  covers  them  thickly  with 
leaves,  and  sometimes  lays  them  nearly  bare, 
repeating  these  operations  irequently  in  the  course 
of  a  single  day. 

The  eggs  at  last  are  hatched,  but  when  the 
young  bird  escapes  from  the  shell  it  does  not 
leave  the  mound,  remaining  therein  for  at  least 
twelve  hours.  Even  after  a  stroll  in  the  open  air 
it  withdraws  to  its  mound  toward  evening,  and  is 
covered  up,  like  the  egg,  only  not  to  so  great  a 


THE    TALLKGALLA.  11 

depth.  It  is  a  singular  fact  tliat  in  all  cases  a 
nearly  cylindrical  hole,  or  shaft,  is  preserved  in  the 
centre  of  the  heap,  obviously  intended  to  admit 
the  cooling  air  from  without,  and  to  allow  of  the 
escape  of  the  gases  fermenting  within. 

In  each  nest  as  much  as  a  bushel  of  eggs  is  fre- 
quently deposited.  As  these  are  of  excellent  flavor, 
they  are  quite  as  much  esteemed  by  the  white  man 
as  by  the  aborigine.  The  tallegalla  has  a  habit  of 
ecratchino:  lare^e  holes  in  the  o-pound  while  dustiniJ^ 
itself,  says  Mr.  Wood,  after  the  manner  of  gallina- 
ceous birds ;  and  these  holes  often  serve  to  guide 
the  e<]:or-hunter  toward  the  nest  itself. 

After  this  digression  let  us  return  to  the  mega- 
podes  of  Borneo,  whose  appearance  had  strongly 
excited  the  curiosity  of  Captain  Redwood  and  his 
party. 

The  birds  that  had  now  displayed  themselves  to 
the  eyes  of  our  party  of  castaways  were  of  the 
species  known  as  "  maleos,"  by  Saloo  caUed  malee. 
They  had  not  just  then  alighted,  but  came  suddenly 
into  view  around  the  spur  of  a  "  dune,"  or  sand- 
hill, which  up  to  that  moment  had  hindered  them 
from  being  observed. 

As  the  spectators  were  quietly  reclining  under 
the  obscure  shadow  of  the  tree,  the  birds  did  not 
notice  them,  but  stalked  along  the  shore  about 
their  own  business. 

What  this  business  was  soon  became  apparent 


72  EXAMINING   THE  GKOTJND. 

for  although  one  or  another  of  the  birds  made  oc- 
casional stop  to  pick  up  some  worm,  weed,  or  seed, 
it  was  evident  thej  were  not  making  their  evening 
promenade  in  search  of  food.  'Now  and  again  one 
would  dart  quickly  away  from  the  flock,  running 
with  the  swiftness  of  a  pheasant,  then  suddenly 
stop,  survey  the  ground  in  every  direction,  as  if 
submitting  it  to  examination,  and  finally,  with  a 
cackling  note,  summon  the  others  to  its  side. 
After  this  a  general  cackle  would  spring  up,  as  if 
they  were  engaged  in  some  consultation  that  equally 
regarded  the  welfare  of  all. 

It  was  noticed  that  those  taking  the  initiative  in 
these  prospecting  rushes  and  summonings,  differed 
a  little  from  the  others.  The  casque  or  bonnet- 
shaped  protuberance  at  the  back  of  their  heads  was 
larger,  as  were  also  the  tubercles  at  their  nostrils; 
the  red  upon  their  naked  cheeks  was  of  brighter 
and  deeper  hue;  while  their  plumage  was  gayer 
and  more  glossy,  the  rufous-white  portion  of  it 
being  of  a  more  pronounced  rose  or  salmon  color. 
These  were  the  male  birds  or  "  cocks"  of  the  flock, 
though  the  difierence  between  them  and  the  hens 
was  much  less  than  that  between  chanticleer  and 
the  ladies  of  his  barn-yard  harem,  and  only  notice- 
able when  they  drew  very  near  to  the  spectators. 

They  were  still  two  hundred  yards  from  the 
spot  where  the  latter  lay  watching  them,  and  by 
tjie  direction  in  which  they  were  going  it  was  not 


Y3 

likely  they  would  come  any  nearer.  Captain  Ked- 
wood  had  taken  hold  ot*  the  musket,  intending  to 
load  it  with  some  slugs  he  chanced  to  have,  and  try 
a  long  shot  into  the  middle  of  the  flock ;  but  Saloo 
restrained  him  with  a  word  or  two  spoken  in  a 
whisper.     They  were, — 

*' Don't  try  shot,  cappen.  Too  long  way  off. 
You  miss  all.  Maybe  they  go  lookee  place  for 
billy  eggs.     Much  betta  we  waitee  while." 

Thus  cautioned,  the  captain  laid  aside  the  gun, 
while  they  all  remained  silently  watching  the 
maleos,  which  continued  their  course,  with  its 
various  divergences,  still  unconscious  of  being 
observed. 

When  they  were  nearly  in  front  of  the  camping- 
place,  at  a  spot  where  the  sand  lay  loose  and  dry, 
above  the  reach  of  the  ordinary  tidal  influx,  all 
made  a  stop  at  the  summons  of  one  who,  from  the 
superior  style  of  his  plumage  and  the  greater 
grandeur  of  his  strut,  appeared  a  very  important 
individual  of  the  tribe — in  all  likelihood  the  "  cock 
of  the  walk." 

Here  a  much  longer  period  was  spent  in  the 
cackling  consultation,  which  at  length  came  to  an 
end,  not  as  before  in  their  passing  on  to  another 
place,  but  by  the  whole  flock  setting  to,  and  with 
tlieir  great  clawed  feet  scratching  up  the  sand, 
which  they  scattered  in  clouds  and  showers  all 
around  tliem. 


^4  LAYING   EGGS. 

For  a  time  they  were  scarce  visible,  the  sand 
dust  flying  in  every  direction,  and  concealing  the 
greater  portion  of  them  beneath  its  dun  cloud ; 
and  this  sort  of  play  was  continued  for  nearly  half 
an  hour.  It  was  not  intended  for  play,  however, 
for  when  it  at  length  came  to  a  termination  the 
spectators  under  the  tree  could  perceive  that  a 
large  cavity  had  been  hollowed  out  in  the  sand,  of 
such  extent,  as  to  diameter  and  depth,  that  more 
than  half  the  flock,  when  within  its  circumference, 
were  invisible  from  tlieir  point  of  observation. 

From  that  moment  it  could  be  noted  that  several 
birds  were  always  down  in  the  pit  thus  excavated, 
some  going  in,  others  coming  out,  as  if  taking  their 
turn  in  the  performance  of  a  common  duty ;  and 
it  was  further  noticed  that  the  ones  so  occupied 
were  those  of  less  conspicuous  plumage — in  fact 
the  hens ;  while  the  cocks  strutted  around,  with 
their  tails  elevated  high  in  the  air,  and  with  all 
the  pride  and  importance  usually  assumed  by  mas- 
ters of  a  grand  ceremonial. 

For  another  hour  this  singular  scene  was  kept 
up,  Saloo  hindering  his  companions  from  making 
any  movement  to  interrupt  it,  by  promising  them 
a  great  reward  for  non-interference. 

The  scene  at  length  terminated  in  another  grand 
scraping  match,  by  wliich  the  sand  was  flung  back 
into  the  pit  with  the  accompanying  storm  of  dust, 
and   then   emerging  from  the  cloud  there  com- 


THE    REWARD    OF    PATIEXCE.  75 

meiiced  a  general  stampede  of  the  niegapodes,  tlie 
birds  separating  into  parties  of  two  and  tliree,  and 
going  in  different  directions.  They  rushed  away 
at  Hghtning  speed,  some  along  the  smooth  sand 
beach,  while  others  rose  right  np  into  the  air,  and 
on  lond  whirring  wings  flew  off  into  the  forest. 

"Xow!''  said  Saloo,  with  joy  gleaming  in  his 
dark.  Oriental  eyes.  "Isow  we  gettee  pay  for 
patient  waitee — we  hab  egg — better  than  duiion — 
belly  bess  solt  of  egg  malee." 

As  there  was  no  need  for  further  concealment 
or  caution,  all  started  to  their  feet  and  hastened 
out  to  the  spot  where  the  departed  fowls  had  been 
at  work.  There  was  no  longer  any  signs  of  a 
hollow,  but  a  level  surface  corresponding  with 
that  around,  and  but  for  the  fresh  look  of  the 
recently  disturbed  sand,  and  the  scoring  that  told 
of  claws  having  disturbed  it,  no  one  could  have 
thought  that  a  flock  of  birds  resembling  barn-door 
fowl  had  just  made  such  a  large  cavity  in  the 
ground,  and  then  filled  it  up  again. 

Saloo  and  Murtagh  ran  down  to  the  pinnace, 
and  each  brought  back  an  oar.  With  these  used 
as  shovels,  the  loose  sand  was  once  more  i-emoN'ed, 
and  nearly  three  dozen  lai-ge  eggs  of  a  reddish  or 
brick  color  were  exposed  to  view,  lying  in  a  sort 
of  irregular  stratiflcation.  They  were  of  the  usual 
o\oid  form,  smaller  at  one  end  than  the  other, 
though  but  slightly  elongated.     What  was   most 


76  A    SEASONABLE    SUPPLY. 

notable  was  their  immense  size,  considering  tlie 
bulk  of  the  birds  that  voided  them ;  for  while  the 
latter  were  not  larger  than  common  hens,  the  eggs 
were  as  big  as  those  of  a  goose.  The  contents  of 
one  which  Murtagh,  in  his  careless  Hibernian  way, 
accidentally  broke — and  which  were  canght  in  a 
tin  pannikin  that  Jield  as  much  as  a  good-sized 
breakfast  cup — filled  the  pannikin  to  its  brim. 

It  was  quite  a  seasonable  supply.  These  fine 
eggs  proved  not  inferior  to  those  of  the  common 
hen ;  indeed  they  were  thought  superior,  and  in 
flavor  more  like  the  eggs  of  a  guinea-fowl  or 
turkey. 

About  a  dozen  of  them  were  cooked  for  break- 
fast, and  in  more  ways  than  one.  Some  were 
boiled,  one  of  the  half  shells  of  the  same  Singa- 
pore oyster  serving  for  a  saucepan ;  while  in  the 
other,  used  as  a  frying-pan,  an  immense  omelette 
was  frittered  to  perfection.  It  was  quite  a  change 
from  the  fruit  diet  of  the  durion,  reversing  our 
present  as  well  as  the  old  Roman  fashion  of  eating, 
though  not  contrary  to  the  custom  of  some  modern 
nations — the  Spaniards,  for  example.  Instead  of 
being  ab  ovo  ad  malum,  it  was  ab  malo  ad  ovum.^ 

*  The  Romans  began  their  noonday  meal  with  eggs,  and  ended  with  a 
dessert  {ab  ovo  ad  malum). 


CHAPTER    XI. 


THE   LANOONS. 

*  *  "^ERT AINLY  tlie  most  mitritious  of  all 
things  eata1)le  or  drinkable  is  the  substance, 
'/(^^  or  fluid,  called  milk.  It  becomes  blood 
i^^-\  almost  immediately,  and  then  flesh,  or 
muscle,  as  was  designed  by  the  Creator.  Hence 
it  is  the  first  food  given  to  all  animated  creatures 
— not  alone  to  the  vmimnalia^  but  to  the  oviparous 
animals — even  to  the  infantile  forms  of  the  vegeta- 
ble itself.  To  the  flrst  it  is  presented  in  the  form 
of  simple  milk,  or  ''  lacteal  fluid ;"  to  the  second 
in  the  "  white  "  of  the  egg ;  while  the  young  tree 
or  plant,  springing  from  its  embryo,  flnds  it  in 
the  farina,  or  succulent  matter,  with  which  it  is 
surrounded,  and  in  which  it  has  hitherto  lain  em- 
bedded and  apparently  lifeless,  till  the  nursing  sun 
calls  it  into  a  growing  existence.  It  is  albumen, 
gluten,  and  other  substances  combined,  all  existing 
in  tlie  udder,  in  the  egg-shell,  in  the  seed,  root,  or 
fruit ;  from  which  springs  the  progeny,  whether  it 


78  PLANS   FOR   THE   FUTURE. 

be  man  or  beast,  flying  bird  or  swimming  fisb^ 
creeping  reptile  or  fast-rooted  forest  tree. 

The  meal  of  oyster-meat  had  restored  to  healthy 
action  the  long-fasting  stomachs  of  the  castaways ; 
the  durion  fruit,  coming  like  a  dessert,  had  no 
doubt  acted  with  an  exceedingly  beneficial  effect ; 
but  not  till  they  had  partaken  of  the  true  "  staff  of 
life" — represented  in  one  of  its  elementary  forms, 
the  egg — did  they  feel  their  blood  running  in  its 
right  channels,  alike  restoring  their  vigor  and 
strength. 

Murtagh  was  one  of  the  first  to  feel  revivified, 
and  declare  himself  ready  for  anything.  But  they 
were  all  much  invigorated,  and  began  to  think  and 
talk  of  plans  for  the  future.  The  question,  of 
course,  was,  how  they  sliould  quit  the  shore  on 
wdiich  shipwreck,  and  afterward  a  chance  wind, 
had  cast  them  ?  So  far  the  coast  appeared  to  be 
uninhabited,  and  although  not  so  very  inhospita- 
ble, as  their  experience  had  proved,  still  it  would 
never  do  for  them  to  remain  there. 

The  American  merchant-skipper  had  no  ambition 
to  match  tlte  Scotchman  Selkirk,  and  make  a  second 
Crusoe  of  himself.  ]N^either  would  Murtagh  or  the 
Malay  have  cared  to  act  as  his  man  Friday  for  any 
very  prolonged  period  of  hermitage,  so  long  as  there 
was  a  mode  of  escaping  from  it. 

During  the  remainder  of  that  evening,  therefore, 
they  talked  of  a  change  of  quarters,  and  discussed 


ACROSS   OOrXTRY   TO   LAUtTATT.  19 

various  plans  for  bnnging  this  about.  It  was  a 
question  whether  they  should  take  to  their  boat  and 
again  put  out  to  sea,  or  endeavor,  by  an  overland 
expedition,  to  reach  some  part  of  the  coast  where 
they  miglit  find  a  European,  and  therefore  a  civil- 
ized, settlement.  Captain  Redwood  knew  there 
were  more  than  one  of  these  on  the  great  island  of 
Borneo.  There  were  the  Dutch  residences  of 
Sambas  and  Sarabang;  the  English  government 
depot  on  the  islet  of  Labuan ;  and  the  strange 
heterogeneous  settlement — half  colony,  half  king- 
dom— then  acknowledging  the  authority  of  the 
bold  British  adventurer,  Sir  James  Brooke,  styled 
"  Rajah  of  Sarawak."  If  any  of  these  places  could 
be  attained,  either  coastwise  or  across  country,  our 
castaways  might  consider  their  sufferings  at  an  end ; 
and  it  was  only  a  question  which  would  be  the  easiest 
to  reach,  and  what  the  best  way  of  reaching  it. 

After  due  consideration,  Labuan  was  the  point 
decided  upon.  From  that  part  of  the  coast  Captain 
Redwood  supposed  himself  to  be,  it  was  by  far  the 
nearest  civilized  settlement — in  fact,  the  only  one 
that  offered  a  chance  of  being  reached  by  travellers 
circumstanced  as  they.  Of  course  they  had  no 
intention  to  start  immediately.  Their  strength 
was  not  sufficiently  restored,  and  they  were  only 
discussing  the  question  of  a  journey  to  be  under- 
taken })efore  long,  and  the  probabilities  of  thcii 
being  able  to  accomplish  it. 


80  THE    MALAY   PIRATES. 

Although  they  were  now  safe  on  land,  and  need 
no  longer  dread  the  "dangers  of  the  deep,"  they 
did  not  yet  believe  themselves  delivered  from  all 
peril.  The  part  of  the  coast  on  which  they  had 
landed  appeared  uninhabited ;  but  it  was  not  thia 
that  made  them  uneasy.  On  the  contrary,  human 
beings  were  the  very  things  they  did  not  desire  just 
then  to  see.  From  the  place  where  his  ship  had 
been  struck  by  the  t}^hoon,  and  the  distance  and 
direction  in  which  tliey  had  since  drifted,  Captain 
Eedwood  conjectured-— was  indeed  almost  sure  of  it 
— that  they  were  on  some  part  of  the  northeastern 
coast  of  Borneo,  where  it  fronts  the  Celebes  Sea ; 
and  he  had  traded  long  enough  among  the  islands 
of  the  Malayan  Archipelago  to  know  that  this  was 
a  most  dangerous  locality,  not  from  beasts  of  prey, 
but  tierce,  predatory  men ;  from  jpiraUs^  in  short. 

These  sea-robbers,  issuing  from  their  hiding- 
phices  and  strongholds  among  the  lagoons  of  many 
of  the  Malayan  islands — more  especially  Mindanao 
— are  to  be  met  with  all  through  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago ;  but  their  most  favorite  cruising-grounds 
are  in  the  seas  lying  around  the  Sooloo  isles,  and 
stretching  between  Borneo  and  Xew  Guinea. 

They  are  usually  known  as  "Lanoons,'-  from 
Illanon,  the  southern  peninsula  of  Mindanao,  their 
principal  place  of  refuge  and  residence.  But  they 
have  also  other  haunts  and  ports  w^here  they  make 
rendezvous — many  on  the  shores  of  the  Celebes  Sea, 


A    PIRATICAL    PllAU.  81 

in  tlie  island  of  Celebes  itself,  and  also  along  tlie 
eastern  and  northern  coast  of  l^orneo.  In  this  last 
they  are  usually  known  as  "  Djak  pirates,"  a  name 
not  very  correct;  since  most  of  these  freehooters 
are  of  pure  Malayan  race,  while  the  Bornean  Dyaks 
take  but  little  part  in  their  plundering,  and  are 
themselves  often  its  victims. 

The  cratt  in  which  they  carry  on  their  neferious 
calling  are  large  junk-like  vessels  termed  "praus," 
with  short,  stumpy  masts  and  huge  square  sails  of 
woven  matting  stuff.  But  they  place  more  depend- 
ence upon  their  broad  paddle-bladed  oars  and  skilled 
oarsmen,  each  priiu  having  from  thirty  to  forty 
rowers,  and  some  very  large  ones  a  much  greater 
number.  These,  seated  in  double  rows  along  each 
side  of  the  vessel,  take  no  part  in  the  lighting, 
which  is  done  by  the  chiefs  and  warriors  stationed 
above  on  a  sort  of  platform  or  upper  deck  that  ex- 
tends nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  priiu.  The 
advantage  derived  from  the  oars  is,  that  in  the 
tropical  seas  very  light  winds  and  calms  are  of  com- 
mon occmTcnce,  during  either  of  which  the  prau 
can  easily  overtake  an  ordinary  sailing-ship.  And 
when  a  brisk  wind  arises,  and  it  is  desirable  to 
avoid  any  vessel  that  may  be  endeavoring  to  come 
up  with  them,  they  can,  by  means  of  their  strong 
rowing  force,  get  to  windward  of  the  chasing  craft, 
and  so  out  of  harm's  way. 

Ships  are  not  always  the  objects  of  their  piratical 


82  INHtJMAX    KIDNAITERS. 

cniisings,  or  they  might  at  times  find  it  but  an  un- 
profitable business.  Combined  with  sea  piracy,  they 
make  frequent  land  expeditions  along  the  coasts 
of  the  different  islands,  going  up  the  inlets  and 
rivers,  and  plundering  the  towns  or  other  settle- 
ments situated  on  their  banks.  And  their  booty 
does  not  always  consist  of  goods,  chattels,  and 
money,  but  of  men,  women,  and  children ;  for  they 
are  men-robbers  as  well  as  murderers  and  pirates. 
Their  captives  are  carried  off  to  their  places  of 
rendezvous,  and  there  kept  until  they  can  be  sold 
into  slavery — a  market  for  this  kind  of  commodity 
being  easily  found  in  almost  every  island  of  the 
Malayan  Archipelago — whether  it  be  Dutch,  Span- 
ish, Portuguese,  or  under  the  dominion  of  its  own 
native  rulers,  the  sultans,  and  rajahs. 

Well  aware  of  all  these  circumstances.  Captain 
Eedwood  knew  the  danger  he  and  his  party  would 
incur  should  they  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Lanoons.- 
So  long  as  they  were  out  upon  the  open  sea,  and 
in  fear  of  perishing  by  starvation,  they  had  never 
had  a  thought  about  pirates.  Then  the  sight  of  a 
priiu — even  with  the  certainty  of  its  being  a  pirat- 
ical craft — would  have  been  welcome  ;  since  death 
by  the  Malay  kris,  or  slavery  to  the  m.ost  cruel 
taskmaster,  would  have  been  a  relief  from  the  suf- 
ferings they  were  enduring,  from  hunger  as  from 
thirst.  Now,  however,  that  these  were  things  of 
the  past,  and  they  were  not  only  safe  delivered 


A    NEW    CAUSE    OF    FEAR,  83 

from  tlio  perils  of  tlie  dee]),  hut  ecemed  in  no 
farther  danger  of  starvation,  the  pirates  had  beconie 
tlie  subject  of  tlieir  gravest  fears,  and  tlieir  eyes 
were  habitually  on  the  alert — now  scanning  the 
sea-shore  on  both  sides,  and  now  directed  toward 
the  forest,  whenever  any  noise  from  that  quarter 
occurred  to  excite  suspicion. 

While  in  this  frame  of  mind,  the  boat  which  had 
brought  them  safely  asliore  caused  them  a  good 
deal  of  apprehension.  They  might  themselves  have 
easily  found  concealment  among  the  trees  that 
stood  thickly  on  the  land-side ;  but  the  large  pin- 
nace lying  upon  tlie  open  beach  was  a  conspicuous 
object,  and  could  be  seen  miles  off  by  any  one 
straying  along  the  shore,  or  coming  abruptly  out 
of  the  forest.  If  there  were  any  pirates'  nest  near, 
the  boat  would  surely  betray  them,  and  the  ques- 
tion arose  as  to  what  should  be  done  with  it. 

To  have  dragged  it  up  the  sand,  and  hidden  it 
among  the  underwood,  is  probably  what  they  would 
have  done  had  they  been  possessed  of  sufficient 
strength.  But  they  knew  that  they  were  not,  and 
therefore  the  thing  was  not  thought  of.  It  was  as 
much  as  they  could  yet  do  to  drag  their  own  bodies 
about,  much  less  a  heavy  ship's  boat. 

Murtagh  suggested  breaking  it  up,  and  letting 
the  fragments  float  off  upon  the  waves.  But  Ca[)- 
tain  Iledwood  did  not  approve  of  this  mode.  Tha 
craft  that  had  so  long  carried  them  through  an  uu 


84  WHAT   OF  THE    BOAT  ? 

known  sea,  and  at  length  set  thein  safely  ashore, 
deserved  ditlerent  treatment.  Besides,  they  might 
again  stand  in  need  of  it ;  for  it  was  not  yet  certain 
whether  they  were  on  the  coast  of  the  Bornean 
mainland,  or  one  of  the  numerous  outlying  islets 
to  be  found  along  its  eastern  side.  If  an  island, 
the  boat  would  still  be  required  to  carry  them 
across  to  the  main. 

AVhile  they  were  engaged  in  discussing  this  sub- 
ject on  the  day  they  had  made  discovery  of  the 
maleos'  eggs,  Saloo's  sharp  eye,  wandering  about, 
caught  sight  of  something  that  promised  a  solution 
of  the  difficulty.  It  was  the  little  stream  not  far 
off,  or  rather,  the  estuary  formed  by  its  current, 
which,  flowing  out  through  the  sands,  had  cut  a 
channel  deep  enough  for  the  keel  of  a  much  larger 
craft  than  a  ship's  pinnace. 

"  Why  we  no  blingee  boat  up  libba  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Saloo  is  right ;  it  may  be  done,"  assented  the 
captain. 

"  Troth  an'  that  may  it.  It's  clivver  of  the 
nigger  to  be  the  first  of  us  to  think  of  that  same. 
Then  we'd  betther  set  about  it  at  once — hadn't  we, 
captin  ?" 

•■' By  •all  means,"  was  the  reply;  and  the  three 
men,  rising  to  their  feet,  w^alked  off  toward  the 
boat,  leaving  the  young  people  under  the  tree. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


KRISSING  A   CONSTRICTOR. 


f^WT  took  tliem  nearly  an  lioiir  to  o^et  the 
.  '  ''       . 

pinnace  round  into  the  stream,  and  opposite 

iyjy)    tlie   pLice  they  had  iixed  upon  for  their 

"p't  temporary  encampment.  The  current  act- 
ins:  ao-ainst  tlieir  feeble  efforts  at  rowimi;,  was 
the  cause  of  delay.  They  succeeded,  however, 
and  the  boat  was  made  safe  from  being  observed 
by  the  eye  of  any  one  going  along  the  beach.  But, 
to  make  it  still  more  secure,  they  poled  it  under 
the  branches  of  an  overhanging  tree  not  far  oii — a 
large  Indian  fig,  or  hamjan^  whose  umbrageous  top 
overshadowed  the  water  nearly  half-way  across  the 
stream. 

To  one  of  its  numerous  root-stems  the  craft  was 
made  fast  by  means  of  the  tiller-ropes;  and  the}'' 
Avere  stepping  out  of  it  to  return  to  their  camping- 
place  when  a  shout  from  Saloo  warned  them  of 
some  danger  ahead. 

It  was  not  ahead,  Init  overhead  ^  for,  as  his  com- 
panions looked  up — following  the  example  of  the 


86  AN    UNAVELCOME    GUEST. 

Malay— they  saw  what  at  first  appeared  to  be 
one  of  the  stems  of  the  banyan  in  motion,  as  if 
endowed  with  life. 

They  were  soon  convinced  of  their  mistake ;  for 
instead  of  the  moving  thing  being  part  of  the  lig- 
tree,  its  supple,  cylindrical  body  and  glittering 
scales  showed  it  to  be  a  serpent. 

It  w^as  a  python,  and  one  of  enormous  dimen- 
sions, as  they  could  tell  by  what  they  saw  of  it, 
knowing  that  this  was  only  a  portion  of  the  whole ; 
at  least  ten  feet  of  it  were  depending  from  the  tree, 
while,  judging  by  the  taper  of  its  body,  and  apply- 
ing the  ordinary  rule  as  to  serpent  shape,  there  could 
not  be  less  than  ten  or  twelve  other  feet  concealed 
among  the  branches  above. 

As  Saloo  first  caught  sight  of  it,  it  was  descend- 
ing from  the  tree,  no  doubt  having  been  disturbed 
by  the  noise  made  in  mooring  the  boat,  and  tempted 
to  forsake  its  perch  for  some  purpose  unknow^n.  It 
was  coming  down  head  foremost — not  along  any 
of  the  stems,  but  in  an  open  space  between  them — • 
its  tail  coiled  round  a  branch  above,  affording  it  a 
support  for  this  descent,  monkey  or  'possum-fashion. 

Its  snout  had  already  toAched  the  ground,  and 
perhaps  its  whole  body  would  soon  have  been  elon- 
gated upon  the  earth  but  for  the  shout  of  Saloo.  At 
this  it  suddenly  jerked  up  its  head,  but  without 
taking  in  any  of  its  coils  above ;  and  with  jaws 
agape  and  tongue  protruding,  it  commenced  oscillat- 


MURTAGH    IX    DANGER.  87 

ing  around  as  if  trying  its  range,  and  ready  to 
pounce  upon  any  creature  that  came  within  the 
radius  of  that  wide  circle  of  which  its  forked  tongue 
was  describing  the  circunii'erence. 

The  warning  of  the  Mahiy  was  given  soon  enough 
to  save  Captain  Redwood,  but  not  the  ship-cai-pen- 
ter.  Murtagli  was  either  too  long  in  hearing,  or 
too  slow  in  giving  heed  to  it.  He  was  a  step  or 
two  in  advance  of  the  others,  carrying  in  his  arms 
some  implements  from  the  boat.  In  looking  around 
and  above  he  saw  the  snake  sweeping  about  in  its 
grand  circular  vibrations,  and  at  the  same  time 
perceived  that  he  was  within  their  range. 

It  was  but  the  simple  obedience  of  instinct  to 
leap  to  one  side,  which  he  did ;  but  as  ill  luck 
would  have  it,  hampered  by  the  impedimenta  car- 
ried in  his  arms,  he  came  in  violent  collision  with 
one  of  the  stems  of  the  banyan,  which  not  only  sent 
him  back  with  a  rebound,  but  threw  him  down 
upon  the  earth,  flat  on  his  ftice.  He  would  have 
done  better  by  lying  still,  for  in  that  position  the 
snake  could  not  have  coiled  around  and  constricted 
him.  And  the  python  rarely  takes  to  its  teeth  till 
it  has  tried  its  powers  of  squeezing. 

But  the  ship-carpenter,  ignorant  of  this  herpeto- 
logical  fact,  and  as  an  Irishman  not  highly  giftcu 
either  with  patience  or  prudence,  after  scrambliui. 
a  while  upon  his  hands  and  knees,  stood  once  mor^ 
upon  his  feet. 


88  IN    THE    python's    FOLDS. 

He  had  scarcely  got  into  an  erect  attitude  wlien 
his  body  was  embraced  by  a  series  of  spiral  annula- 
tions  that  extencVrl  from  head  to  foot — huge  thick 
rings,  slimy  and  clammy  to  the  touch,  which  he 
knew  to  be  the  foldings  of  the  python. 

Had  there  been  any  Lanoons,  or  Dyak  pirates, 
within  a  mile's  distance,  they  might  have  heard  the 
cry  that  escaped  him.  The  forest  birds  heard  it 
afar  off,  and  ceased  their  chatterings  and  warblings, 
so  that  there  was  no  sound  for  some  time  save  the 
continuous  shrieks  and  ejaculations  that  came  from 
Murtagh's  lips. 

Captain  Kedwood,  altogether  unarmed,  leaped 
back  into  the  pinnace  to  seize  the  boat-hook,  think- 
ing it  the  best  weapon  for  the  occasion.  It  might 
have  been  of  service  if  obtainable  in  time.  But 
long  before  he  could  have  returned  with  it  the  ship- 
carpenter's  ribs  would  have  been  compressed  into  a 
mass  of  broken  bones,  and  the  breath  crushed  out 
of  his  body. 

This  would  certainly  have  been  the  lamentable 
result  but  for  a  weapon  with  which  a  Malay  is 
always  armed,  carrying  it  on  his  body  nearer  than 
his  shirt,  and  almost  as  near  as  his  skin.  It  was 
the  kris.  As  a  matter  of  course,  Saloo  had  one ; 
and  luckily  for  his  old  shipmate,  "  Multa,"  he  knew 
how  to  handle  it  with  skill,  so  that,  in  driving  its 
twisted  blade  througli  the  python's  tliroat,  he  did 
not  also  impale  upon  its  point  the  jugular  vein  of 


THE   Malay's  kris.  89 

the  Irishman.  He  did  the  one  dexterously  without 
doing  the  other,  and  the  consequence  was  that  tha 
huge  snake,  suiiering  keenly  from  having  its  throat 
pierced  through,  quickly  uncoiled  itself  from  the 
body  of  its  intended  victim,  glad  to  let  the  latter 
escape,  and  only  thinking  of  getting  free  itself  by 
scuttling  off  into  the  thickest  of  the  underwood, 
where  it  disappeared  evidently  writhing  in  pain. 

Too  anxious  about  the  condition  of  their  com- 
rade, neither  Captain  Redwood  nor  Saloo  thought 
of  pursuing  it,  but  stooped  down  over  the  released 
body  of  the  Irishman,  who  had  fallen  prostrate  to 
the  earth. 

On  due  examination  it  proved  that  there  was 
not  much  harm  done  beyond  a  terrible  fright ;  and 
after  some  congratulations  he  was  induced  to  get 
once  more  upon  his  feet  and  accompany  them  to 
tlie  camp.  But  for  Saloo  and  his  kris,  beyond 
doubt,  he  would  nervier  have  returned  to  it  alive. 

For  the  python  in  the  Old  World  is  quite  as 
formidable  as  the  boa  in  the  'New.  Perhaps  it 
IS  even  more  to  be  dreaded ;  for,  notwithstanding 
its  great  length — twenty-five  to  thirty  feet — it  is 
exceedingly  nimble,  and  its  muscular  strength  is 
immense.  There  are  numerous  authentic  stories 
on  record  of  its  having  crushed  the  buffalo  and  the 
tiger  in  its  huge  constricting  folds.  The  pyt/ion 
reticulatus  is  probably  the  largest  species. 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 

CHICKS    QUICK   TO   TAKE   WING. 

^^^^%^  WO  more  days  passed  without  any  occiir- 
'i&ltf  rence  of  an  unusual  nature,  though  the 
/'^^   castaways  made  several  short  excursions 

■^'^  and  explorations  into  the  forest,  and  also 
up  and  down  the  shore,  keeping,  however,  close  to 
the  edge  of  the  timber.  These  ended  without  any 
important  discovery  being  made,  but  confirmed 
them  in  their  conjecture  that  the  coast  on  wdiich 
they  had  been  cast  was  uninhabited,  at  least  for  a 
considerable  distance  on  each  side  of  the  place 
where  they  had  landed. 

The  most  disappointing  thing  about  these  ex- 
ploratory trips  w^as  their  fruitlessness  in  obtaining 
food,  the  chief  oljject  for  winch  they  had  been 
made.  Excepting  some  stray  roots  and  berries  of 
an  esculent  nature,  they  had  nothing  to  eat  after 
the  maleos'  eggs  were  consumed ;  and  these  had 
lasted  them  only  into  the  second  day.  It  is  true 
tlie  durion  stood  near,  and  its  fruit  would  for  a  time 


A    rnOSPECTlXG    EXPEDITION.  91 

keep  them  from  starving.  Still  it  would  do  littU 
for  the  restoration  of  their  streiifjth ;  and  upon 
Buch  diet  it  would  be  a  long  time  before  they  could 
undertake  the  arduous  journey  contemplated  with 
any  lair  prospect  of  being  able  to  finish  it.  No 
more  Singapore  oysters  could  be  found,  no  iish 
caught ;  and  such  birds  and  beasts  of  the  forest  as 
Captain  Redwood  had  accidentally  got  a  glimpse 
of,  had  either  flown  or  fled  away  without  giving 
him  as  much  as  the  chance  of  a  snap  shot. 

At  night  they  again  heard  the  stridulous  clamor 
of  the  maleos,  and  every  morning  looked  out  for 
them  ;  but  these  flne  fowls  did  not  put  in  another 
appearance,  much  less  deposit  three  dozen  eggs 
right  under  their  eyes,  and  in  a  convenient  spot  for 
being  gathered. 

Saloo,  however,  who  knew  all  about  their  habits, 
believed  he  might  yet  And  another  ovarium  ;  and 
with  this  view,  on  the  morning  of  the  third  day, 
after  giving  up  all  further  attempts  at  getting  shell- 
fish, he  started  upon  a  "  prospecting"  expedition 
after  eggs,  the  others  going  with  him. 

Their  route  led  along  the  shore,  and  among  the 
dry  sand-wreaths,  swirled  up  near  the  selvedge  of 
the  woods.  If  another  egg  depository  existed,  it 
was  there  it  should  be  found.  He  told  his  com- 
panions that  not  only  did  diflerent  gangs  of  the 
maleos  bury  their  eggs  in  diflerent  places,  but  the 
same  tribe  or  flock  had  the  habit  of  returning  to 


92  A    SHAM    XEST. 

the  beach  at  different  times,  each  time  laying  theii 
collected  eggs  in  a  new  and  separate  pit.  That, 
moreoverj  these  curious  birds,  guided  bj  instinct 
or  cunning,  are  accustomed  to  conceal  the  place  of 
deposit,  which  might  be  easily  recognized  by  their 
tracks  and  scratchings.  This  they  do  by  scoring 
the  ground  in  other  places,  and  giving  to  the  sur- 
face the  same  appearance  as  it  bears  over  the  spot 
wliere  their  eggs  have  been  left  to  the  hatching  of 
the  sun. 

In  this  searching*  excursion  Saloo  had  brouo-ht 
with  him  a  boat-hook ;  and  it  was  not  long  before 
he  had  an  opportunity  of  proving  the  truth  of  his 
words.  A  place  where  the  sand  was  very  much 
tracked  by  the  huge  feet  of  the  megapodes  soon 
presented  itself,  exactly  resembling  the  spot  where 
they  had  procured  the  first  supply  of  eggs.  But 
on  probing  it  with  the  boat-hook,  Saloo  at  once 
pronounced  it  one  of  the  sham  nests. 

After  all,  the  creatures  did  not  show  too  much 
cunning ;  for  the  presence  of  this  pretended  place 
of  deposit  told  the  Malay  that  a  real  one  would  not 
be  far  off;  and,  sure  enough,  another  was  soon  after 
discovered,  which,  on  being  sounded  by  the  iron 
point  of  the  boat-hook,  gave  back  a  firm  feel  and  a 
sharp  metallic  click,  that  told  him  there  were  eggs 
underneath. 

The  sand,  as  before,  was  carefully  removed — 
Murtagh  having  brought  with  him  an  oar  for  the 


"treasuhe-tkove."  9.? 

purpose — wlien,  for  tlie  second  time,  nearly  three 
dozen  beautiful  salmon-colored  eggs  were  disclosed 
to  their  view. 

These  were  carefully  taken  up,  and  carried  back 
to  the  place  of  encampment,  where  they  were  left 
lying  npon  the  ground,  the  party  resuming  their 
quest,  in  hope  of  being  able  to  lay  in  a  laiger  and 
more  permanent  supply. 

As  it  chanced,  another  considerable  receptacle 
was  struck,  giving  back  sweet  mnsic  to  the  probing 
of  the  boat-hook ;  and  its  contents  were  also  added 
to  the  larder. 

As  the  last  lot  had  been  found  under  sand  that 
appeared  but  recently  stirred,  it  followed  that  they 
were  fresher  than  those  of  the  second  finding,  and 
therefore  was  it  determined  u2)on  that  they  should 
be  first  eaten. 

The  egg-gatherers  having  been  now  several  hours 
engaged,  and  again  become  almost  as  hungry  as 
when  first  cast  upon  the  shore,  once  more  kindled 
a  fire,  set  the  huge  shells  upon  it,  and  using  the 
one  as  a  boiling-pot,  and  the  other  as  a  frying-pan, 
prepared  themselves  a  meal  of  two  courses — (£uf 
honille  and  omelette. 

Kext  day  they  again  went  in  search  of  other 
eggs,  intending  to  lay  in  a  store  against  the  event- 
uality of  any  possible  period  of  famine. 

But  although  they  discovered  several  scratched 
places,  and    carefully  "sounded"  them,  no   nior. 


94  EGGED    ON    BY    HUNGER. 

maleos'  eggs  could  be  found  ;  and  they  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  they  had  despoiled  all  the  "  incuba- 
tor" beds  existing  on  that  section  of  the  Bornean 
coast. 

By  reason  of  their  rapidly -in  creasing  strength, 
their  appetites  were  by  this  time  almost  insatiable. 
They  were,  therefore,  not  long  in  using  np  all  the 
*'  setting"  last  gathered,  and  were  about  to  begin 
upon  the  other  lot  that  did  not  seem  so  "newly 
laid."  These  had  been  kept  separate,  and  permitted 
to  lie  where  they  had  first  placed  them — out  on  the 
open  surface  of  the  sand,  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
yards  beyond  the  shadow  of  the  tree.  Negligently, 
and  somewhat  unwisely,  had  this  been  done ;  for 
during  the  day  the  hot  sun  shining  down  upon 
them  would  natui-ally  have  a  tendency  to  spoil  and 
addle  them.  Still  the  time  had  not  been  very  long 
and  as  no  one  thought  of  their  being  damaged^ 
they  were  preparing  to  turn  them  into  egga 
poached,  fried,  boiled,  or  otherwise. 

Saloo  had  rekindled  the  fire,  and  got  ready  his 
pots  and  pans ;  while  Murtagh,  who  had  stepped 
out  to  the  "  larder,"  was  about  to  take  up  one  of 
the  eggs,  and  carry  it  to  the  "kitchen."  But  at 
that  moment  a  sight  met  the  eyes  of  the  Irish- 
man that  not  only  astonished,  but  caused  him 
to  sing  out  so  excitedly  as  at  once  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  others  to  ifie  same  singular  spec- 
tacle. 


CHICKS    IN  yiTLL   FEATHER.  95 

It  was  that  of  an  egg  rolling,  as  it  were,  spon 
taneously  over  the  ground !  And  not  only  one  egg , 
for,  as  they  continued  to  gaze  a  while,  the  whc'le 
lot,  as  if  taking  their  cue  from  it,  commenced  imi- 
tating the  movement,  some  with  a  gentle,  others 
a  more  violent  motion!  Murtagh  sprang  back 
affrighted,  and  stood  with  his  red  hair  on  end, 
gazing  at  the  odd  and  inex])licable  phenomenon. 
The  others  were  as  much  puzzled  as  he^^all  except 
the  Malay,  who  at  a  glance  understood  the  philos- 
ophy of  the  movement. 

"  Young  malee  inside,"  he  cried  in  explanation. 
"We  no  eat  egg,  .we  get  chickee.  Wait  little 
minnit.     You  him  see  come  out  full  featha." 

Truly  enough  the  ''  chicks"  did  come  out,  not 
as  down-covered  helpless  creatures,  but  pults  in  full 
plumage,  as  Saloo  had  predicted  :  at  all  events,  full 
enough  to  enable  them  to  fly ;  for  as  the  shells  one 
after  another  commenced  crackling — ^burst  outward 
by  the  young  birds'  strength — each  showed  a  per- 
fect fledgling ;  that,  springing  forth  from  the  shiv- 
ered encasement,  like  Jack  out  of  his  box,  at  once 
flapped  its  little  wings,  and  essayed  short  flights 
over  the  surface  of  the  sand. 

So  much  were  the  spectators  taken  by  surprise, 
that  one  and  all  of  the  new-born  but  completely 
equipped  birds,  would  have  winged  their  way  into 
tlie  forest  and  been  lost,  had  it  not  been  for  Saloo, 
who,  accustomed  to  such  transformations,  was  in  nc 


96 


MORE    HASTE,    WOllSE    SPEED. 


way  discomposed  J  but  preserved  his  coolness  and 
equanimity. 

Fortified  by  these,  and  armed  with  the  boat- 
hook,  which  he  had  suddenly  seized,  he  struck 
down  the  precocious  chicks  one  after  another,  and 
put  an  end  to  their  aspiring  flights  by  laying  them 
lifeless  upon  the  sand. 

In  the  end  it  was  neither  eggs  nor  omelettes, 
but  tender,  delicate  "squabs"  the  castaways  had 
for  their  prandial  repast. 


m 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 


A     GRAND     TRE  E*C  LIMBER. 

A0^^^IIE  castaways  having  made  a  repast  on 
"^^  ffi       chicks,  instead  of  eggs,  as  they  had  been 
i^^       expecting,  were  for  the  time  satisfied, 
'  -^f^        so  far  as  concerned  their  appetites.    But 
aware  that  these  would  ere  long  recommence  their 
craving,  they  could  not  be  contented  to  remain  in- 
active.    It  would  be  necessary  to  procure   some 
other  kind  of  provisions,  and,  if  possible,  a  per- 
manent stock  on  which  they  could  rely  until  ready 
to  set  out  on  their  journey,  with  a  surplus  to  carry 
them  some  way  along  it. 

Although  in  Borneo  there  are  many  kinds  of 
strange  birds,  and  some  of  them  large  ones,  they 
are  not  to  be  found  everywhere,  and  when  seen, 
not  so  easily  caught  or  shot.  There  are  some  large 
(juadrupeds  too,  as  the  Indian  rhinoceros,  and  tlic 
Sumatran  tapir;  and  although  the  flesh  of  these 
great  thick-skinned  animals  is  neither  tender  nor 
delicate,  yet  men  who  can  get  no  other  soon  And 
themselves  in  a  position  to  relish  it,  despite  its 


98 


toughness  and  its  coarse  texture.  But  neitlier 
rhinoceros  nor  tapir  was  seen  bj  our  castaways; 
neither  seemed  to  frequent  that  part  of  the  coast,  as 
no  tracks  of  them  were  observed  during  their  ex- 
cursions. If  thej  had  fallen  in  with  a  rhinoceros, 
they  would  have  had  some  difficulty  in  killing  it ; 
seeing  that  this  enormous  brute  is  as  large  as  a 
small  elephant,  its  body  protected  by  a  thick  hide, 
embossed  with  hard  knob-like  protuberances,  like 
those  upon  shields,  giving  to  the  animal  the  ap- 
pearance of  being  encased  in  a  full  suit  of  ancient 
armor. 

The  Sumatran  tapir,  too,  is  a  creature  that  does 
not  readily  succumb  to  its  assailant,  being  larger 
and  stronger  than  its  namesake  of  South  America. 

There  are  two  species  of  deer  known  in  Borneo ; 
one  of  them,  the  "rusa,"  a  fine  large  animal. 

Captain  Kedwood  was  in  hopes  he  might  meet 
with  an  individual  of  either  species;  and  with  this 
object  in  view,  he  continued  to  make  short  excur- 
sions into  the  woods,  taking  his  rifle  along  with 
him,  occasionally  accompanied  by  Murtagh,  with 
the  ship's  musket. 

But  they  always  returned  empty-handed,  and  a 
good  deal  dow^n-hearted,  having  seen  nothing  that 
could  be  converted  into  venison. 

Saloo  had  again  tried  for  eggs  and  shell-fish,  but 
wa^  unsuccessful  in  his  search  after  both ;  evidently 
there  were  no  more  depositories  of  maleos'  eggs, 


VEUY    KARI.Y    KIRDS.  09 

nor  Singapore  oysters,  nor,  indeed,  any  kind  of 
gliell-lish,  on  that  part  of  the  shore.  They  did  not 
again  see  any  of  the  nionnd-niaking  hirds — not 
even  those  they  had  despoiled ;  for  it  is  not  tlie 
habit  of  the  megapodes  to  return  to  their  eggs,  bnt 
to  leave  them  to  be  liatclied  under  tlie  hot  sand, 
and  the  chicks  to  scratch  tlieir  way  npward  to  the 
surface,  thus  taking  care  of  themselves  from  the 
very  moment  of  their  birth,  and,  inde.d,  we  may 
say,  before  it,  since  it  can  scarcely  be  said  they  are 
born  before  breaking  through  the  shell ;  and  this 
they  have  to  do  for  themselves,  else  they  would 
never  see  daylight.  Talk  of  precocious  chicks ! 
There  are  none  anywhere  to  be  compared  with  the 
megapodean  pullets  of  the  Malayan  Archipelago, 
no  birds  half  so  "  early''  as  they. 

For  some  days,  after  eating  up  the  last  chicken 
of  the  flock,  our  castaways  could  get  nothing  to 
live  upon  but  durions  ;  and  although  the-e  formed  a 
diet  sufliciently  agreeable  to  the  palate,  they  were 
not  very  strengthening.  Besides,  they  were  not 
so  easily  gathered ;  the  few  they  had  fonnd  on 
some  trees,  which  Saloo  had  conveniently  climbed, 
being  quickly  exhausted.  The  large  durion-tree 
under  wdiich  they  had  first  encamped  was  well 
furnished  with  fruit.  But  its  tall  stem,  nearly  a 
hundred  feet,  without  a  branch,  and  with  a  bark 
smooth  as  that  of  a  sycamore,  looked  as  if  no 
mortal  man  could  ascend   it.     Captain  Ivedwood 


100  JACK    OF    ALL   TRADSg. 

had  fired  several  rounds  of  his  chain-shot  up  into 
itj  and  brought  down  many  of  the  grand  spinous 
pericarps ;  but  this  cost  an  expenditure  of  ammu- 
nition ;  and,  circumstanced  as  they  were,  they  saw 
it  would  never  do  to  waste  it  in  such  whimsical 
fashion.  Still,  for  want  of  food,  the  fruit  must  be 
obtained  some  way  or  other,  and  the  question  was 
how  to  "  pluck"  it. 

In  their  dilemma  the  Malay  once  more  came  to 
their  aid.  Fortunately  for  all,  Saloo  was  a  native 
of  Sumatra,  and  had  been  brought  up  among  its 
forests,  much  resembling  those  of  Borneo.  He  was 
skilled  in  the  wood-craft  common  to  both  islands ; 
and,  perhaps,  of  all  the  crew  of  the  castaway  ship, 
not  one  could  have  survived  whose  services  would 
liave  been  of  more  value  to  Captain  Redwood  and 
his  party  than  those  of  the  brown-skinned  pilot ; — 
especially  since  it  had  been  their  fate  to  be  cast 
npon  the  shores  of  Borneo.  His  companions  had 
already  experienced  the  benefit  to  be  derived  from 
his  knowledge  of  the  country's  productions,  and 
were  beginning  to  consult  him  in  almost  every  dif- 
ficulty that  occurred.  He  appeared  capable  of 
accomplishing  almost  anything. 

For  all  this,  they  were  no  little  surprised  and 
somewhat  incredulous  when  he  declared  his  inten- 
tion of  climbing  the  great  durion-tree.  Murt<ngh 
was  very  much  inclined  to  deny  that  he  could  do  it. 

"The  niggei-'s  makin'  game  of  us,  captin,"  he 


101 

said.  "It  would  be  as  Tiiucli  as  a  squirrel  could  do 
to  speel  up  that  tall  trunk.  Why,  it's  as  smooth 
as  the  side  of  a  coppcr-])ottouied  ship,  an'  nothiu' 
to  lay  howlt  on.     lie's  jokin'." 

"iSTo  jokee,  Mista  Multa.  Saloo  that  tlec  climb 
Boon.     You  help  you  see." 

"  Oh,  be  aisy  now !  I'll  help  you  all  I  can,  if 
that'll  do  any  good.  How  do  you  mane  to  set 
about  it  ? " 

To  this  Saloo  made  no  verbal  re^joinder,  but 
laying  hold  of  a  small  axe,  that  had  been  brought 
away  in  the  boat,  he  walked  off  toward  a  clump  of 
bamboos  growing  near  the  spot  where  they  had 
made  their  camp. 

The  first  thing  he  did  was  to  cut  down  five  or 
six  of  the  largest  of  these  canes,  some  of  them 
being  several  inches  in  diameter,  directing  Murtagh 
to  drag  them  off,  and  deposit  them  close  to  the 
durion-tree. 

As  soon  as  he  had  felled  what  he  deemed  a 
sufficient  number,  he  returned  to  the  spot  where 
the  Irishman  had  deposited  them,  and  commenced 
chopping  them  into  pieces  of  about  eighteen  inches 
in  length.  In  this  the  ship-carpenter,  by  reason 
of  his  calling,  was  able  to  give  him  efficient  aid  ; 
and  the  ground  was  soon  strewed  with  disjointed 
bamboos.  Each  of  the  pieces  was  then  split  into 
two,  and  sharply  pointed  at  orio  end,  so  as  to  re- 
:Bemble  a  peg  designed  for  being  driven  into  tho 


102  AN    IMPROMPTU    LABOR. 

ground.  But  it  was  not  into  tlie  ground  Saloo 
intended  driving  them,  as  will  be  presently  seen. 

While  Murtagh  was  engaged  in  splitting  and 
sharpening  the  sections  of  bamboo,  the  Malay  went 
off  once  more  into  the  woods,  and  soon  came  back 
again,  bearing  in  his  arms  what  looked  like  a 
quantity  of  rough  packing-cord.  The  freshly-cut 
ends  of  it,  however,  with  their  greenish  color  and 
running  sap,  told  it  to  be  some  species  of  creeping- 
plant — one  of  the  parasites,  or  epiphytes,  that 
abound  everywhere  in  the  forests  of  Borneo,  as  in 
those  of  all  tropical  countries,  and  render  the  trade 
of  the  ropemaker  altogether  superfluous. 

Throwing  down  his  bundle  of  creepers,  Saloo 
now  took  up  one  of  the  pointed  pegs,  and,  stand- 
ing by  the  trunk  of  the  durion,  drove  it  into  the 
soft  sapwood,  a  little  above  the  height  of  his  own 
head.  The  axe,^ which  was  a  light  one,  and  had  a 
flat  hammer-shaped  head,  served  him  for  a  mallet. 

As  soon  as  the  tirst  peg  had  been  driven  to  the 
depth  of  several  inches,  he  threw  aside  the  axe, 
and  laid  hold  of  the  stake  with  both  hands.  Then 
drawing  his  feet  from  the  ground,  so  that  all  his 
weight  came  upon  the  peg,  he  tried  whether  it 
would  sustain  him  without  yielding.  It  did,  and 
he  was  satisfied. 

His  next  movement  was  another  excursion  into 
the  forest,  where  he  found  some  bamboo  stems  of 
a  slenderer  kind  than  those  already  cut,  but  quite 


HOW    IT     WAS     MAD?:.  103 

as  tall.  Having  selected  three  or  four  of  these,  he 
chopped  them  down,  and  dra^i'ged  them  up  to  the 
diirion.  Then  taking  one,  he  set  it  upright  on  its 
butt-end,  parallel  to  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  and  at 
such  a  distance  from  it  as  to  strike  near  the  outer 
extremity  of  the  peg  already  driven  home,  close  to 
the  end  of  which  he  had  already  cut  a  couple  of 
notches. 

Some  of  the  vegetable  twine  was  next  prepared 
by  him,  and  taking  a  piece  of  the  proper  length, 
he  made  the  upright  bamboo  fast  to  the  horizontal 
peg  by  a  knowing  knot,  such  as  only  a  savage  or 
sailor  can  tie. 

Captain  Redwood  and  his  ship-carpenter  having 
now  obtained  an  inkling  of  his  design,  stood  by  to 
render  every  assistance,  while  the  young  people  as 
spectators  were  very  much  interested  in  the  pro- 
ceeding. 

As  soon  as  the  upright  cane  was  securely  lashed 
to  the  cross-piece,  and  also  made  safe  against  shift- 
ing by  having  its  lower  end  "  stepped"  or  embedded 
in  the  ground,  Saloo  prepared  to  ascend,  taking 
with  him  several  of  the  pegs  that  had  been 
sharpened,  llurtagh  ''  gave  him  a  leg,"  and  he 
stood  upon  the  lirst  "round"  of  the  ladder. 

Then  reaching  up  he  drove  in  a  second  peg — 
not  quite  so  far  above  the  lirst  as  tliis  was  from  the 
ground.  With  another  piece  of  creeper  he  made  it 
also  fast  to  tlie  pei-pendicular  pole,  and  tlje  second 


104  STEP   BY    STEP. 

round  Tvas  formed,  upon  which  he  had  to  climb 
without  any  helping  hand,  and  with  the  agility  of 
an  ape. 

A  third  step  was  similarly  estaT)lished  ;  then  a 
fourth  and  fifth,  and  so  on,  till  the  pegs  and  cordage 
carried  up  with  him  gave  out,  when  he  came  back 
to  the  ground  to  provide  himself  with  a  second 
supply.  Obtaining  this,  he  once  more  ascended, 
and  continued  to  carry  aloft  his  singular  "  shrouds." 

The  next  thing  to  be  exhausted  was  the  upright 
piece,  which,  being  only  about  thirty  feet  in 
length,  and  requiring  a  sui-plus  to  be  left,  of  course 
came  far  short  of  reaching  to  the  lowest  limbs  of 
the  durion.  Another  similar  stem  of  bamboo  had 
to  be  added  on  by  splicing;  but  for  this  he  did 
not  need  to  descend,  as  Murtagh,  stretching  to  his 
arm's  length,  handed  it  up  to  him,  so  that  he  was 
enabled  to  lay  hold  of  and  draw  it  up  of  liimself. 

Giving  the  two  pieces  a  good  length  of  double 
for  the  splice,  he  bound  them  securely  together,  and 
then  went  on  w^ith  the  driving  of  his  pegs,  to  com- 
plete the  remaining  rounds  of  the  ladder. 

In  a  space  of  time  that  did  not  in  all  exceed 
twenty  minutes,  he  had  got  up  to  within  ten  or 
twelve  feet  of  the  lower  branches  of  tlie  durion — ■ 
to  such  a  height  as  caused  those  looking  at  him 
from  below  to  feel  giddy  as  they  gazed.  It  was, 
indeed,  a  strange  and  somewhat  fearful  spectacle — 
that  sHght  human  form,  sixty  or  seventy  feet  above 


SALOO  S    ASCENT.  105 

their  heads,  at  such  a  vast  elevation  so  diminislied 
in  size  as  to  appear  like  a  child  or  a  pigmy,  and  the 
more  t'eaiful  to  them  who  could  not  convince  them- 
selves of  the  security  of  the  slender  stair  upon 
which  he  was  standing.  They  were  half  expecting 
that,  at  any  moment,  one  of  the  pegs  w^ould  give 
way,  and  precipitate  the  poor  fellow  to  the  earth, 
a  crushed  and  shapeless  mass ! 

It  was  just  as  when  some  courageous  workman 
in  a  manufacturing  town — bricklayer  or  carpenter 
— ascends  to  the  top  of  one  of  its  tall  factory 
chimneys,  to  repair  some  damage  done  by  lire- 
crack  or  lightning,  and  the  whole  populace  of  the 
place  rushes  out  of  doors,  to  look  up  at  the  strange 
spectacle,  and  admire  the  daring  individual,  while 
trembling  in  fear  for  his  fate. 

So  stood  the  little  party  under  the  tall  durion- 
tree,  regarding  the  ascent  of  Saloo. 


CHAPTEE  XY. 


SOMETHING      SHARP. 


/  g^^^^^HE  Malay  had  ascended,  as  already  said, 
to  wltliin  ten  or  twelve  feet  from  the 
lower  linil)s  of  the  tree,  and  was  still  en- 
^"  gaged  driving  in  his  pegs  and  binding  on 
the  upright  bamhoo  to  continue  his  ascent,  when 
all  at  once  he  was  seen  to  start  and  abruptly  sus- 
pend operations.  At  the  same  time  an  exclamation 
escaped  his  lips,  in  a  low  tone,  but  seemingly  in 
accents  of  alarm. 

They  all  looked  up  apprehensively,  and  also 
started  away  from  the  tree ;  for  they  expected  to 
see  him  come  tumbling  down  in  their  midst.  But 
no ;  he  was  still  standing  firm  upon  the  last  made 
round  of  the  ladder,  and  in  an  erect  attitude,  as  if 
he  had  no  fear  of  falling.  With  one  hand  he  held 
the  axe,  the  other  gently  grasping  the  upright 
bamboo  that  served  him  for  a  support.  Instead  of 
looking  down  to  them,  to  call  out  or  claim  their 
assistance,  they  saw  that  his  eyes  were  turned  up- 
ward and  tixed,  as  if  on  some  object  directly  over 


A    r.TT    OF    GOOD     LUCK.  107 

his  head.  It  did  not  aj)pear  to  l)e  among  tho 
branches  ot  tlie  d'iirion,  but  as  it*  in  the  trunk  of  the 
tree;  and  in  the  interval  of  silence  that  succeeded 
his  fii*st  quick  exclamation,  they  could  hear  a  hissing 
sound,  such  as  might  proceed  from  the  throat  of  a 
goose  when  some  stranger  intrudes  upon  the  do- 
main ot  the  farmyard.  As  it  was  carried  down  the 
smooth  stem  of  the  durion,  which  acted  as  a  con- 
ductor, the  spectators  underneath  guessed  it  was 
not  a  goose,  but  some  creature  of  a  less  innocent 
kind. 

'•  A  snake,  be  japers !"  was  the  conjecture  that 
dropped  from  the  ship-carpenter's  lips,  while  the 
same  thought  occurred  simultaneously  to  the  others ; 
for  they  could  think  of  no  living  thing,  other  than 
a  serpent,  capable  of  sending  forth  such  a  sibilant 
sound  as  that  just  heard. 

"  What  is  it,  Saloo  f  hailed  Captain  Kedwood ; 
"  are  you  in  any  danger  V^ 

"  No  dangee,  cappen  ;  only  little  bit  good  luck, 
that  all,"  was  the  cheering  response  that  restored 
their  confidence. 

"  How  good  luck  ?"  asked  the  captain,  puzzled 
to  think  of  what  fortune  could  have  turned  up  in 
their  favor  so  high  above  their  heads. 

"  You  see  soon,"  rejoined  the  Malay,  taking  a 
fresh  peg  from  his  girdle  and  once  more  resuming 
his  task  at  stair-making. 

While  he  was  engaged  in  hammering,and  between 


108  WHAT   CAN   IT   BE  ? 

tlie  resounding  strokes,  tliey  at  the  bottom  of  the 
tree  repeatedly  heard  the  same  hissing  sound  they 
had  taken  for  the  sibihitions  of  a  snake,  and  whicli 
they  might  still  have  believed  to  be  this,  but  for  a 
hoarse  croaking  voice  mingling  with  the  sibilation, 
which  reached  their  ears  at  intervals,  evidently  pro- 
ceeding from  the  same  throat. 

Moreover,  as  they  continued  to  gaze  upward, 
watching  Saloo  at  his  work,  they  caught  sight  of 
something  in  motion  on  the  trunk,  and  about  a 
foot  above  his  face.  It  was  something  of  a  whitish 
color  and  slender  shape,  pointed  like  one  of  the 
bamboo  pegs  he  was  busily  driving  at>  Now  they 
saw  it,  and  now  they  did  not  see  it ;  for  whatever 
it  was,  it  was  sunk  inside  the  trunk  of  the  dui'ion- 
tree,  alternately  protruding  and  drawing  back.  It 
was  also  clear  to  them  that  from  this  sharp  pointed 
thing,  whether  beast,  bird,  or  reptile,  came  the 
hissing  and  hoarse  croaking  that  puzzled  them. 

"  What  is  it  f  again  asked  the  captain,  now  no 
longer  anxious  or  alarmed,  but  only  curious  to  know 
what  the  strange  creature  could  be. 

*'  Buld,  cappen — biggee  buld." 

"  Oh,  a  bird,  that's  all ;  what  sort  of  bird  ?" 

"  Hon  bill  ;  ole  hen  honbill.  She  on  ha  ness  in- 
side, hatchee  egg ;  she  built  up  in  dat ;  ole  cock  he 
shuttee  up  w^ith  mud." 

"  Oh,  a  hornbill !"  said  the  captain,  repeating  the 
name  of  the  bird  for  the  information  of  those  around 


CAPTUniNG    A    HORKBILL.  lOS) 

hliii ;  and  now  that  they  more  narrowly  scrutinized 
the  spot  where  the  wliite-pointed  beak  was  8till 
bobbing  ont  and  in,  they  conkl  perceive  tliat  tlierc 
was  a  patch  or  space  of  irregular  ronudibh  shajie, 
slightly  elevated  above  the  bark,  having  a  plastered 
appearance,  and  of  the  color  of  dry  nnid.  They 
had  barely  time  to  make  this  last  observation,  when 
Saloo,  having  got  another  peg  planted  so  as  to 
enable  him  to  ascend  high  enough,  turned  the  edge 
of  his  axe  against  the  trunk  of  the  durion,  and 
commenced  chipping  off  the  mud,  that  now  fell  in 
flakes  to  the  bottom  of  the  tree. 

It  took  him  only  a  very  short  time  to  effect  a 
breach  into  the  barricaded  nest — one  big  enough 
to  admit  his  hand  with  the  fingers  at  full  spread. 

His  arm  was  at  once  thrust  in  up  to  the  elbow ; 
and  as  his  digits  closed  fearlessly  around  the  throat 
of  the  old  hen  hornbill,  she  was  di-awn  forth  from 
her  place  of  imprisonment. 

For  a  time  she  was  seen  in  Saloons  hands,  con- 
vulsively writhing  and  flopping  her  great  wings, 
like  a  turkey  gobbler  with  his  head  suddenly  cut 
oft'.  There  was  some  screaming,  hissing,  and  croak- 
ing, but  to  all  these  sounds  Saloo  quickly  put  an 
end,  by  taking  a  fresh  grasp  of  the  throat  of  the 
great  bird,  choking  the  breath  out  of  it  until  the 
wings  ceased  fluttering ;  and  then  he  flung  its  body 
down  at  the  feet  of  the  spectators. 

Saloo  did    not  descend   immediately,  but  once 


110  MOTHER    AND   CHICK. 

more  thrust  his  hand  into  the  nest,  hoping,  no 
doubt,  to  find  an  egg  or  eggs  in  it.  Instead  of 
these,  the  contents  proved  to  be  a  bird — and  only 
one — a  chick  recently  hatched,  about  the  size  of  a 
squab  pigeon,  and  fat  as  a  fed  ortolan.  Unlike  the 
progeny  of  the  megapodes,  hatched  in  the  hot  sand, 
the  infant  hornbill  was  without  the  senil)lance  of  a 
feather  upon  its  skin,  wdiich  was  all  over  of  a  green, 
yellowish  hue.  There  was  not  even  so  much  as  a 
show  of  down  upon  it. 

For  a  moment  Saloo  held  it  in  his  hand,  hissing 
as  it  was  in  his  own  tiny  way.  Then  chucking  it 
down  after  its  murdered  mother,  where  it  fell  not 
only  killed,  but "  squashed,"  he  prepared  to  descend 
in  a  less  hasty  manner.  He  now  saw  no  particular 
need  for  their  dining  on  durions,  at  least  on  that 
particular  day ;  and  therefore  discontinued  his  task 
upon  the  bamboo  ladder,  which  could  be  completed 
on  the  morrow,  or  whenever  the  occasion  called 
for  it. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 


AN    ENEMY    IN    THE   AIK. 


1^^^/ HOUGH  the  old  lien  liornbill,  after  lier 

-i^ffi'^  long  and  seemingly  forced  period  of  in- 

5?^^    cubation,  might  not  prove  sndi  a  tender 

I      morsel,  they  were  nevertheless  rejoiced  at 

tliis  accession  to  their  now  exhausted  larder,  and  tlie 

pilot  at  once  set  abont  plucking  her,  while  Murtagh 

kindled  a  fresh  fire. 

"While  they  were  thus  engaged,  Henry,  who  had 
greatly  admired  the  ingenuity  displayed  by  Saloo  in 
the  construction  of  his  singular  ladder,  bethought 
him  of  ascending  it.  He  was  led  to  this  exploit 
partly  out  of  curiosity  to  try  what  such  a  climb 
would  be  like ;  but  more  from  a  desire  to  examine 
tlie  odd  nest  so  discovered — for  to  him,  as  to  most 
I  »oys  of  his  age,  a  bird's  nest  was  a  peculiarly  attrac- 
tive oV)ject.  He  thought  that  Saloo  had  not  suf- 
ficieiitly  examined  the  one  first  plundered,  and  that 
there  miirht  be  another  bird  or  an  02:2:  behind.    He 


112  A   SECOND   ASCENT. 

was  not  naturalist  enongli  to  know — what  the  ex- 
pilot's  old  Sumatran  experience  had  long  ago  taught 
liim-— that  the  hornbill  onl  y  lays  one  egg^  and  brings 
forth  but  a  single  chick.  "Whether  or  no,  he  was 
determined  to  ascend  and  satisfy  himself. 

He  had  no  fear  of  being  able  to  climb  the  tree- 
ladder.  It  did  not  seem  any  more  difficult  than 
Bwarming  up  the  shrouds  of  a  ship,  and  not  half  so 
hard  as  going  round  the  main-top  without  crawling 
through  the  "lubber's  hole" — a  feat  he  had  often 
performed  on  his  father's  vessel.  Therefore,  with- 
out asking  leave,  or  saying  a  word  to  any  one,  he 
laid  hold  of  the  bamboo  pags  and  started  up  the 
tree. 

None  of  the  others  had  taken  any  notice  of  him. 
Captain  Redwood  was  engaged  in  wiping  out  his 
gun,  with  little  Helen  attending  upon  him,  while 
Saloo  was  playing  poulterer,  and  Murtagh,  a  little 
way  off  in  tlie  woods,  gathering  faggots  for  the  fire. 
Henry  kept  on,  hand  over  hand,  and  foot  after 
foot,  till  he  at  length  stood  upon  the  topmost  round 
of  the  unfinished  ladder.  Being  almost  as  tall  as 
Saloo  himself,  he  easily  got  his  arm  into  the  cavity 
that  contained  the  nest,  and  commenced  groping 
all  over  it.  He  could  find  no  other  bird,  nor  yet 
an  egg.  Only  tlie  dried-up  ordure  of  the  denizens 
that  had  lately  occupied  the  prison  cell,  along  with 
some  bits  of  the  shell  out  of  which  the  young  horn- 
bill  had  been  but  recently  hatched. 


uenry's  antagonist.  113 

After  a  moment  or  two  spent  in  examining  the 
curious  cavity,  and  retlecting  on  the  odd  habit  of  a 
hird  being  thus  plastered  up  and  kept  for  weeks 
in  chjse  confinement — all,  too,  done  by  its  own  mate, 
who  surely  could  not  so  act  from  any  intention  of 
cruelty — after  in  vain  puzzling  himself  as  to  what 
could  be  the  object  of  such  a  singular  imprison- 
ment, he  determined  upon  returning  to  the  gi'omid, 
and  seeking  the  explanation  from  Saloo. 

He  had  returned  upon  the  topmost  step,  and 
was  about  letting  himself  down  to  that  next  below, 
when  not  only  were  his  ears  assailed  by  shar]) 
cries,  but  he  suddenly  saw  his  eyes  in  danger  of 
being  dug  out  of  their  sockets  by  the  shai-p  beak 
of  a  bird,  whose  huge  shadowy  wings  were  fia}> 
ping  before  his  face  ! 

Although  somewhat  surprised  by  the  onslaught, 
so  sudden  and  unexpected — and  at  the  same  time 
no  little  alarmed — there  was  no  mystery  about  the 
matter.  For  he  could  see  at  a  glance  that  the 
bird  so  assailing  him  was  a  hornbill;  and  a  mo- 
ment's reflection  told  him  it  was  the  cock. 

Afiir  off  in  the  forest — no  doubt  in  search  of  food 
— catering  for  his  housekeeper  and  their  new  cliick, 
of  whose  birth  he  was  most  probably  aware,  he 
could  not  have  heard  her  cries  of  distress;  else 
would  he  have  rushed  to  the  rescue,  and  appeared 
much  sooner  upon  the  scene.  But  at  length  he  had 
arrived;  and  with  one  glance  gathered  in  the  ruin 
8 


114  ATTACK   AND    DEFEXCE. 

that  Lad  occurred  during  liis  absence.  There  was 
his  carefully  plastered  wall  pulled  down,  the  in- 
terior of  his  domicile  laid  open,  his  darlmg  ones, 
no  doubt  dragged  out,  throttled  and  slaughtered, 
by  the  young  robber  still  standing  but  a  step  from 
the  door. 

The  enraged  parent  did  not  pause  to  look  down- 
ward, else  he  might  have  seen  a  still  more  heart- 
rending spectacle  at  the  bottom  of  the  tree.  Ho 
did  not  stay  for  this;  on  the  instant  he  went 
swoop  at  the  head  of  the  destroyer,  with  a  scream 
that  rang  far  over  tlie  forest,  and  echoed  in  a 
thousand  reverberations  through  the  branches  of 
the  trees. 

Fortunately  for  Henry,  he  had  on  his  head  a 
thick  cloth  cap,  with  its  crown  cotton-padded. 
Eut  for  this,  which  served  as  a  helmet,  the  beak 
of  the  bird  would  have  been  into  his  skull,  for  at 
the  first  dab  it  struck  right  at  his  crown. 

At  the  second  onslaught,  which  followed  quick 
after,  Henry,  being  warned,  was  enabled  to  ward 
off  the  blow,  parrying  with  one  hand,  while  with 
the  other  supporting  himself  on  his  perch.  For 
all  this  the  danger  was  not  at  an  end ;  as  the  bird, 
instead  of  being  scared  away,  or  showing  any  signs 
of  an  intention  to  retreat,  only  seemed  to  become 
more  infuriated  by  the  resistance,  and  continued 
its  swooping  and  screaming  more  vigorously  and 
determinedly  than  ever.     The  boy  was  well  aware 


THE    FIGHT    IN    THE    AIR.  115 

of  the  peril  tliat  impended;  and  so,  too,  were 
those  below ;  wlio,  of  course,  at  the  first  screech 
of  the  hornbill,  had  looked  up  and  seen  what  was 
passing  above  tliem. 

They  would  have  called  upon  him  to  come 
down,  and  he  would  have  done  so  without  being 
summoned,  if  there  had  been  a  chance.  But  there 
was  none :  for  he  could  not  descend  a  single  step 
without  using  both  hands  on  the  ladder;  and  to 
do  this  would  leave  his  lace  and  head  without 
protection.  Either  left  unguarded  for  a  single 
instant,  and  the  beak  of  the  bird  playing  about 
like  a  pickaxe,  would  be  stnick  into  his  skull,  or 
buried  deep  in  the  sockets  of  his  eyes.  lie  knew 
tliis,  and  so  also  they  who  looked  from  below. 
He  could  do  nothing  but  keep  his  place,  and  con- 
tinue to  light  off  the  furious  assailant  with  his 
free  arm — the  hand  getting  torn  at  each  contact, 
till  the  blood  could  be  seen  trickling  from  the  tips 
of  his  fingers. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  how  long  this  curious  con- 
test mio:ht  have  continued,  or  how  it  would  have 
terminated,  had  the  combatants  been  left  to  them- 
selves. In  all  probability  it  w^ould  have  ended  by 
the  boy's  having  his  skull  cleft  open  or  his  eyes 
torn  out ;  or,  growing  feeble,  he  would  have  lost 
his  hold  upon  the  ladder  and  fallen  to  the  foot  of 
the  tree — of  itself  certain  death. 

It  in  reality  looked   as  if  this  would   be   the 


116  A  father's  devotiox. 

lamentable  result,  and  very  quickly.  Saloo  had 
sprung  to  the  tree,  and  was  already  ascending  to 
the  rescue.  But  for  all  that  he  might  be  too  late ; 
or  even  if  successful  in  reaching  the  elevated  point 
where  Henry  struggled  against  danger,  he  miglit 
still  be  nnable  to  effect  his  deliverance.  The 
alarmed  father  seemed  to  fear  this,  as  he  stood 
gazing,  with  agony  depicted  on  his  face — agony  at 
the  thought  of  seeing  his  dear  boy  exposed  to  such 
a  fearful  peiil,  and  feeling  himself  so  helpless  to 
rescue  him. 

All  at  once  a  thought  flashed  into  his  mind, 
that  at  least  gave  him  some  relief  through  the 
necessity  of  action.  His  rifle,  which  fortunately 
after  cleaning  he  had  reloaded,  stood  resting 
against  the  trunk  of  the  tree.  He  sprang  toward 
and  seized  hold  of  it.  In  another  second  it  was 
raised  to  his  shoulder ;  its  muzzle  pointed  almost 
vertically  upward,  and  circling  around  to  get 
bearing  upon  the  body  of  the  bird. 

It  was  a  dangerous  shot  to  take,  like  that  of  Tell 
w^ith  the  arrow  and  the  apple.  Eut  it  seemed  yet 
more  dangerous  not  to  venture  it ;  and  with  this 
reflection  passing  through  his  mind  he  watched 
the  hornbill  through  several  of  its  swoopings,  and 
when  at  length  in  one  of  the  seit  receded  to 
some  distance  from  Henry's  face,  he  took  quick 
sight  upon  it,  and  pulled  trigger. 

A  splendid  shot — a  broken  wing — a  huge  bird 


A    SPLENDID    SHOT. 


117 


seen  fluttering  through  tlie  air  to  the  cartli — then 
flopping  and  screaming  over  the  ground,  till  its 
cries  were  stilled  and  its  strngglings  terminated 
by  a  few  blows  from  a  boat-hook  lield  in  tlie 
hands  of  the  ship-carpenter; — all  tliis  was  the 
spectacle  of  only  a  few  seconds. 


CHAPTEK  XYIL 


SITTING    BY    THE    SPIT. 


if^^'^^ALOO  had  by  this  time  dimbed  to  the 
'^^A      topmost  rounds  of  the  ladder ;  and  was  able 

f^  to  assist  Henry  in  descending,  which  he 
7      did  without  further  difficulty  or  danger. 

No  great  liarm  had  happened  to  him ;  he 
had  received  only  a  few  scratches  and  skin- 
wounds,  that  would  soon  yield  to  careful  treat- 
ment and  the  surgical  skill  which  his  father  pos- 
sessed, along  with  certain  herbal  remedies  known 
to  Saloo. 

They  were  soon  restored  to  their  former  state  of 
equanimity,  and  thought  nothing  more  of  the  little 
incident  that  had  just  flurried  them,  except  to  con- 
gratulate themselves  on  having  so  unexpectedly 
added  to  their  stock  of  provisions  the  bodies  of 
two  great  birds,  each  of  respectable  size ;  to  say 
nothing  of  the  fiit  featherless  chick,  which  appeared 
as  if  it  would  niake  a  very  Vonne  houche  for  a 
gourmand. 


Al.I,    HANDS     TO    COOKING.  119 

As  we  have  said,  Saloo  did  not  tliink  any  more 
of  ascending  the  durion-tree,  nor  tliey  of  asking 
liini  to  do  so.  Its  fruits  niiglit  have  served  them 
for  dessert,  to  come  after  the  game  upon  whicli 
they  were  now  going  to  dine. 

But  they  were  not  in  condition  to  care  for  fol- 
lowing the  usual  fashion  of  dining,  and  least  of  all 
did  they  desire  a  dinner  of  different  30urses,  so  long 
as  they  had  one  sufficiently  substantial  to  satisfy 
the  simple  demands  of  hunger.  The  two  hornbills 
promised,  each  of  them,  a  fair  jpiece-de-resistance, 
while  the  fat  pult  was  plainly  a  tit-bit,  to  be  taken 
either  hors  d^ceuvres,  or  as  an  entree. 

Tliey  were  not  slow  in  deciding  w^hat  should  be 
done  with  the  stock  so  unexpectedly  added  to  their 
Lirder.  In  a  trice  the  cock  bird  was  despoiled  of 
his  plumage ;  the  hen  having  been  well-nigh  dis- 
mantled of  hers  already.  The  former  was  trussed 
and  made  ready  for  the  spit,  the  latter  being  in- 
tended for  the  pot,  on  the  supposition  that  boiling 
miii-ht  be  better  for  her  toui^-hness.  Murtai^-h  had 
tciken  to  finishing  the  plucking  of  the  hen,  while 
Saloo  set  about  divesting  the  old  cock  of  his 
feathers. 

The  chick  needed  no  plucking,  nor  even  to  be 
singed.  Its  skin  was  as  free  of  covering  as  the  sliell 
of  the  eg^  lately  containing  it.  It  was  tender 
enough  to  be  cooked  in  any  w^ay.  It  could  be 
broiled  over  the  embers,  and  would  make  a  nice 


120  A    EESERVE    FOE    THE    LAIiDER. 

meal   for  the   two   young  people,  and  doubtless 
greatly  benefit  their  strength. 

When  the  bodies  of  the  old  birds  were  unmasked 
of  their  feathery  envelopment,  it  was  seen  that  they 
were  much  smaller  than  supposed ;  and,  moreover, 
that  the  hen  was  by  many  degrees  larger  in  size 
and  fatter  than  the  cock.  It  was  but  natural,  and 
was  due  to  her  sex,  as  well  as  to  her  long  conhne- 
ment  in  a  dark  cell  of  but  limited  dimensions, 
where  she  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  rest. 

But  as  the  cock  bird,  after  all,  was  quite  as  large 
as  a  Cochin-China  fowl,  and,  moreover,  in  good 
condition,  there  would  be  enough  of  him  to  supply 
a  full  repast,  without  touching  either  the  hen  or 
chick.  So  it  was  determined  that  both  should  be 
reseiwed  till  the  following  morning,  w^hen  no  doubt 
all  hands  would  be  again  hungry  enough  for  the 
toughest  of  fowls. 

This  point  settled,  the  old  cock  was  staked  upon 
a  bamboo  spit,  and  set  over  the  hre,  where  he  soon 
began  to  sputter,  sending  out  a  savory  odor  that 
was  charmingly  appetizing. 

The  hen  was  at  the  same  time  chopped  into 
small  pieces,  which  were  thrown  into  one  of  the 
great  shells,  along  with  some  seasoning  herbs  Saloo 
had  discovered  in  the  neighboring  woods ;  and  as 
they  could  now  give  the  stew  plenty  of  time  to 
simmer,  it  was  expected  that  before  next  day  the 
toughness  would  be  taken  out  of  the  meat,  and 


HORNJJILLS    AND    THEIR    HABITS.  121 

after  all  it  might  prove  a  palatable  dish  to  people 
distressed  as  they  had  been,  and  not  caring  niiich 
for  mere  dainties. 

As  they  had  nothing  else  to  do  but  watch  the 
spit,  now  and  then  turn  it,  and  wait  till  the  roast 
should  be  done,  they  fell  into  conversation,  which 
naturally  turned  upon  hornbills  and  their  habits, 
Saloo  furnishing  most  of  the  information  concern- 
ing these  curious  birds. 

Captain  Redwood  had  not  only  seen  them  before, 
in  the  course  of  his  voyages  among  the  Malayan 
Archipelago,  but  he  had  read  about  their  habits, 
and  knew  that  they  were  found  in  various  parts  of 
the  African  continent. 

They  are  thei*e  called  Korice  (Tockxis  erythrc/r- 
hynchus\  and  Dr.  Livingstone  gives  an  interesting 
account  of  them. 

lie  says, — "  TVe  passed  the  nest  of  a  korwe,  just 
ready  for  the  female  to  enter ;  the  orifice  was  plas- 
tered on  both  sides,  but  a  space  left  of  a  heart 
shape,  and  exactly  the  size  of  the  bird's  body.  The 
hole  in  the  tree  was  in  every  case  found  to  be  pro- 
longed some  distance  above  the  opening,  and 
thither  the  korwe  always  fled  to  escape  being 
caught." 

The  flrst  time  that  Dr.  Li\nngstone  himself  saw 
the  bird,  it  was  caught  by  a  native,  who  informed 
him  that  when  the  female  hornbill  enters  her  nest, 
she  submits  to  a  positive  confinement.      The  male 


122  SHUT  UP   IN   A   TREB. 

plasters  up  the  entrance,  leaving  only  a  narrow  slit 
by  which  to  feed  his  mate,  and  which  exactly  suits 
the  form  of  his  beak.  The  female  makes  a  nest  of 
her  own  feathers,  lays  her  eggs,  hatches  them,  and 
remains  with  the  young  till  they  are  fully  fledged. 
During  all  this  time,  which  is  stated  to  be  two  or 
three  months,  the  male  continues  to  feed  her  and 
her  young  femily. 

Strange  to  say,  the  prisoner  generally  becomes 
fat,  and  is  esteemed  a  very  dainty  morsel  by  the 
natives,  while  the  poor  slave  of  a  husband  gets  so 
lean  that,  on  the  sudden  lowering  of  the  tempera- 
ture, which  sometimes  happens  after  a  tall  of  rain, 
he  is  benumbed,  falls  down,  and  dies. 

It  is  somewhat  unusual,  as  Captain  Eedwood 
remarked,  for  the  prisoner  to  fatten,  while  the 
keeper  pines ! 

The  toucan  of  South  America  also  forms  her 
nest  in  the  cavity  of  a  tree,  and,  like  the  hornbill, 
plasters  up  the  aperture  w^ith  mud. 

The  hornbill's  beak,  added  Captain  Redwood,  is 
slightly  curved,  sharp-pointed,  and  about  two  inches 
long.  ^ 

While  the  body  of  the  rooster  was  sputtering 
away  in  the  bright  blaze,  Saloo  entertained  the 
party  by  telling  them  what  he  knew  about  the 
habits  of  the  hornbills ;  and  this  was  a  good  deal, 
for  he  had  often  caught  them  in  the  forests  of 
Sumatra.   It  may  be  remarked  here,  that  many  of 


BIllDS    AXD    THEIR    NESTS.  123 

the  natives  of  the  ]\ralayaii  Archipelago  possess  a 
considerable  knowledge  of  natural  history,  at  least 
of  its  practical  part.  The  reason  is,  that  the  Dutch 
who  own  numerous  settlements  throughout  these 
islands,  have  always  been  great  taxidermists  and 
skin-preservers,  and  to  procure  specimens  for  them 
and  obtain  the  reward,  has  naturally  originated  a 
race  of  collectors  among  the  native  people.  Saloo 
himself  had  been  one  of  these  bird-hunters,  in 
early  life,  before  taking  to  the  sea,  which  last,  as  a 
general  thing,  is  the  favorite  element  and  profes- 
sion of  a  Malay. 

lie  told  them  that  he  knew  of  two  kinds  of  horn- 
bill  in  his  native  island  of  Sumatra,  but  that  he  had 
seen  the  skins  of  several  other  species  in  the  hands 
of  the  taxidermists,  brought  from  various  islands, 
as  well  as  from  the  mainland  of  India,  Malacca, 
and  Cochin-China.  They  were  all  large  birds, 
though  some  w^ere  smaller  than  the  others ;  mostly 
black,  with  wdiite  markings  about  the  throat  and 
breast.  He  said  that  their  nests  are  always  built 
in  the  hollow  of  a  tree,  in  the  same  way  as  the  one 
he  had  robbed,  and  the  entrance  to  them  invariably 
plastered  up  with  mud  in  a  similar  fashion,  leaving 
a  hole  just  big  enough  to  allow  the  beak  of  the  hen 
to  be  passed  out,  and  opened  a  little  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  food  brought  to  her  by  her  mate.  It  is 
the  cock  that  does  the  "  bricking  up,"  Saloo  said, 
brino^ini?  the  "mortar"  from   the   banks  of  some 


124  A.   DIFFICULTY    STARTED. 

neighboring  pool  or  stream,  and  laying  it  on  with 
his  beak.  He  begins  the  task  as  soon  as  the  hen 
takes  her  seat  upon  her  solitary  egg.  The  hen  is 
kept  in  her  prison  not  only  during  the  full  period 
of  incubation,  but  long  after;  in  fact,  until  the 
young  chick  becomes  a  full  fledgling,  and  can  fly 
out  of  itself.  During  all  this  time  the  imprisoned 
bird  is  entirely  dependent  on  her  mate  for  every 
morsel  of  food  required,  either  by  herself  or  for  the 
sustenance  of  the  nursling,  and,  of  course,  has  to 
trust  to  his  fidelity,  in  which  he  never  fails.  The 
horiibills,  however,  like  the  eagles,  and  many  other 
rapacious  birds,  though  not  otherwise  of  a  very 
amiable  disposition,  are  true  to  the  sacred  ties  of 
matrimony.  So  said  Saloo,  though  not  in  this 
exact  phraseology. 

"  But  what  if  the  ould  cock  shud  get  killed  ?" 
suggested  Murtagh.  "  Supposin'  any  accident  was 
to  prevint  him  from  returnin'  to  the  nest  ?  Wud 
the  hen  have  to  stay  there  an'  starve  ?" 

Saloo  could  not  answer  this  question.  It  was  a 
theory  he  had  never  thought  of,  or  a  problem  that 
had  not  come  under  his  experience.  Possibly  it 
might  be  so ;  but  it  was  more  likely  that  her  irn- 
prisonment  within  the  tree  cave,  being  an  act 
agreed  to  on  her  part,  was  more  apparent  than  real, 
and  that  she  could  break  through  the  mud  barri- 
cade, and  set  herself  free  whenever  she  had  a  mind 
to  do  80. 


BOXK    TO    A    TIKX. 


125 


Tills  was  the  more  pruLable  view  of  tlie  case, 
and  terminated  tlie  discussion  on  natural  history; 
or  rather,  it  was  brought  to  a  close  by  their  per- 
ceiving that  the  bird  upon  the  bamboo  stake  was 
done  to  a  turn,  and  they  were  by  this  time  too 
hungry  to  think  of  anything  else  than  eating  it. 

ISo  otf  it  came  from  the  spit,  and  at  it  they  went 
with  a  will,  Saloo  acting  as  carver,  and  distributing 
the  roast  joints  all  around,  taking  care  to  give  the 
tenderest  bits  of  breast  to  the  children,  and  to 
Helen  tlie  liver  wing. 

They  were  all  very  cheerful  in  commencing  their 
supper,  l)Tit  their  strain  was  changed  to  sadness  even 
before  they  had  tinished  it. 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 


SICK    AFTER     SUPPER. 


^  T  was  near  iipon  simdown  when  the  roast 
fowl  was  taken  from  the  spit,  carved,  and 
distribnted  among  them.  The  fire  over 
Wt  which  they  had  cooked  it  was  close  to  the 
trunk  of  the  tree  under  whose  shade  they  intended 
to  pass  the  night.  It  was  not  the  one  they  had 
chosen  after  being  driven  from  the  diirion,  but 
another,  with  far-spreading  branches  and  green 
glossy  leaves  grooving  thickly  upon  them,  which 
promised  a  better  protection  from  the  dews  of  the 
night.  They  needed  this,  as  they  had  not  yet 
thought  of  erecting  any  other  roof.  The  only 
thing  in  the  shape  of  shelter  they  had  set  up  was 
the  tarpaulin,  spread  awning  flishion  over  four 
uprights,  which  held  it  at  the  four  corners ;  but 
this  was  barely  sufficient  to  furnish  the  two  young 
people  with  a  sleeping-place. 

After  removing  the  roast  fowl  from  the  spit,  they 


A    SUDDEN    ILLNESS.  127 

bad  not  permitted  their  fire  to  die  out.  On  the 
contrary,  Murtagh,  in  whose  eliarge  it  was,  threw 
on  some  fresh  faggots.  They  intended  keeping  it 
np  tlirongh  the  night,  not  to  scare  away  wild  beasts, 
for,  as  ah-eady  said,  they  had  no  fear  of  these;  but 
because  the  atmosphere  toward  midniglit  usually 
became  damp  and  chilly,  and  they  would  need  the 
fire  to  keep  them  warm. 

It  was  quite  sunset  by  the  time  tliey  had  finished 
eating  the  roast  liornbill,  and  as  there  is  but  b'ttle 
twihght  under  or  near  the  equator,  the  darkness 
came  down  ahnost  instantaneously.  By  the  light 
of  the  blazing  faggots  they  picked  the  bones  of  the 
bird,  and  picked  them  clean.  But  they  had  scarce 
di'opped  the  drumsticks  and  other  bones  out  of 
their  fingers,  wdien  one  and  all  fell  ^^olently  sick. 

A  sensation  of  vertigo  had  been  gi'owing  upon 
them,  which,  as  soon  as  the  meal  was  over,  became 
nausea,  and  shortly  after  ended  in  vomiting.  It 
was  natural  they  should  feel  alarmed.  Had  only 
one  been  ill,  they  might  have  ascribed  the  illness 
to  some  other  cause ;  but  now,  when  all  five  were 
affected  at  the  same  time,  and  with  symptoms 
exactly  similar,  they  could  have  no  other  belief 
than  that  it  was  owing  to  what  they  had  eaten,  and 
that  the  flesh  of  the  hornbill  had  caused  their  sick- 
ness— perhaps  poisoned  them. 

Could  this  be  ?  Was  it  possible  for  the  flesh  of 
a  bird  to  be  poisonous  ?    Was  that  of  a  hornbill 


128  IS    IT    FROM    POISON? 

60  ?  These  questions  were  quickly  asked  of  one 
another,  but  more  especially  addressed  to  Saloo. 
The  Malay  did  not  believe  it  was.  He  had  eaten 
hornbills  before,  and  more  than  once;  had  seen 
others  eat  them ;  but  had  never  known  or  heard 
of  the  dish  being  followed  by  symptoms  similar  to 
those  now  affecting  and  afiiicting  them. 

The  bird  itself  might  have  eaten  something  of 
a  poisonous  nature,  which,  although  it  had  not 
troubled  its  own  stomach,  acted  as  an  emetic  upon 
tlieirs.  There  was  some  probability  in  this  con- 
jecture ;  at  all  events  the  sufferers  thought  so  for 
a  time,  since  there  seemed  no  other  way  of  account- 
ing for  the  illness  which  had  so  suddenly  seized 
upon  them. 

At  hist  they  were  not  so  very  greatly  alarmed, 
for  they  could  not  realize  the  idea  that  they  had 
been  absolutely  poisoned.  A  little  suffering  and 
it  would  be  all  over,  when  they  would  take  good 
care  not  to  eat  roast  hornbill  again.  No,  nor  even 
stewed  or  broiled  ;  so  that  now  the  old  hen  and 
her  young  one  were  no  longer  looked  upon  as  so 
much  provision  aliead.  Both  would  be  thrown 
away,  to  form  food  for  the  hrst  predatory  creature 
that  might  chance  to  light  upon  them. 

As  time  passed,  however,  and  the  sufferers,  in- 
stead of  feeling  relieved,  only  seemed  to  be  growing 
worse — the  vertigo  and  nausea  continuing,  while 
the  vomiting' was  renewed  in  frequent  and  violent 


THE    ILLNESS    INCREASES.  129 

attacks — thev  at  length  became  seriously  alarmed, 
believing  themselves  pr)isoned  to  death. 

They  knew  not  what  to  do.  They  had  no  medi- 
cine to  act  as  an  antidote ;  and  if  they  had  been  in 
possession  of  all  the  drugs  in  the  pharmacopoeia, 
they  would  not  have  known  which  to  make  use  of. 
Had  it  been  the  bite  of  a  venomous  snake  or  other 
reptile,  the  Malay,  acquainted  with  the  usual  native 
remedies,  might  have  found  some  herbaceous  bal- 
sam in  the  forest ;  though  in  the  darkness  there 
would  have  been  a  difficulty  about  this,  since  it 
was  now  midnight,  and  there  was  no  moon  in  the 
sky — no  light  to  look  for  anything.  They  could 
scarcely  see  one  another,  and  each  knew  where  his 
neighbors  lay  only  by  hearing  their  moans  and 
other  exclamations  of  distress. 

As  the  hours  dragged  on  wearily,  they  became 
still  more  .  and  more  alarmed.  They  seriously 
believed  that  death  was  approaching.  A  terrible 
contemplation  it  was,  after  all  they  had  passed 
through ;  the  perils  of  shipwreck,  famine,  thirst ; 
the  danger  of  being  drowned ;  one  of  them  escap- 
ing from  a  hideous  reptile ;  another  from  the  coils 
of  a  serpent;  a  third  from  having  his  skull  cracked 
in  by  a  fallen  fruit,  and  afterward  split  open  by  the 
beak  of  an  angry  bird.  Now,  after  all  these  hair- 
breadth perils  and  escapes,  to  be  poisoned  by  eating 
the  flesh  of  this  very  bird — to  die  in  such  simple 
and  apparently  causeless  fashion ;  though  it  mav 


130 


PKEPARIXG    FOR   THE    WORST. 


seem  almost  ridiculous,  it  was  to  them  not  a  whit 
the  less  appalling.  And  appalled  they  were,  as 
time  passed,  and  they  felt  themselves  growing 
worse  instead  of  better.  They  were  surely 
poisoned — surely  going  to  die. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


AN     tTNEASY     NIGHT 


^^^^  LOiS'G  with  the  agonizing  pain — for  the 
sensations  they  experienced  were  exceed- 
ingly painful — there  was  confusion  in 
their  thoughts,  and  wandering  in  their 
The  feeling  was  somewhat  similar  to  that 
of  sea-sickness  in  its  worst  form  ;  and  they  felt  that 
reckless  indifference  to  death  so  characteristic  of 
the  sufferer  from  this  very  common,  but  not  the 
less  painful,  complaint.  Had  the  sea,  seething  and 
surging  against  the  beach  so  near  them,  broken  be- 
yond its  boundaries,  and  swept  over  the  spot  where 
they  lay,  not  one  of  them,  in  all  probability,  would 
have  stirred  hand  or  foot  to  remove  themselves  out 
of  its  reach.  Drowning — death  in  any  form — ■ 
would  at  that  moment  have  seemed  preferable  to 
the  tortures  they  were  enduring. 

They  did  not  lie  still.  At  times  one  or  another 
would  get  up  and  stray  from  under  the  tree.  But 
the  nausea  continued,  accompanied  by  the  horrid 
retching;  their  heads  swam,  their  steps  tottered, 


132  A  tather's  request. 

and  staggering  back  they  would  fling  themselves 
down  despairingly,  hoping,  almost  praying,  for  death 
to  put  an  end  to  their  agonies.  It  was  likely  soon 
to  do  so. 

During  all,  Captain  Kedwood  showed  that  he 
was  thinking  less  of  himself  than  his  children. 
"Willingly  would  he  have  lain  down  and  died,  could 
that  have  secured  their  surviving  him.  But  it  was 
a  late  that  threatened  all  alike.  On  this  account 
he  was  wishing  that  either  he  or  one  of  his  com- 
rades, Murtagh  or  Saloo,  might  outlive  the  young 
people  long  enough  to  give  them  the  rites  of  sepul- 
ture. He  could  not  bear  the  thought  that  the 
bodies  of  his  two  beautiful  children  were  to  be  left 
above  ground,  on  the  desolate  shore,  their  flesh  to 
be  torn  from  them  by  the  teeth  of  ravenous  beasts 
or  the  beaks  of  predatory  birds — their  bones  to 
whiten  and  moulder  under  the  sun  and  storms  of 
the  tropics. 

Despite  the  pain  he  was  himself  enduring,  he 
secretly  communicated  his  wishes  to  Murtagh  and 
the  Malay,  imploring  them  to  obey  what  might 
be  almost  deemed  a  dying  request. 

Parting  speeches  were  from  time  to  time  ex- 
changed in  the  muttered  tones  of  despair.  Prayers 
w^ere  said  aloud,  unitedly,  and  by  all  of  them 
silently  in  their  own  hearts. 

After  this.  Captain  Redwood  lay  resignedly,  hia 
children,  one  on  each  side  of  him,  nestling  within 


WORDS     OF    f'ON'SOI.ATTOX.  l?,3 

his  arms,  their  heads  pillowed  upon  his  breast  close 
together.  Thej  also  held  one  another  b_v  the  hand, 
joined  in  aftectionate  embrace  across  the  breast  of 
their  father.  Xot  mnny  words  were  s])oken  between 
them  ;  only,  now  and  then,  some  low  mnrmnrs, 
which  betokened  the  terrible  pain  th(»v  felt,  and  the 
fortitude  both  showed  in  enduring  it. 

osTow  and  then,  too,  their  fatlier  s|)oke  to  them. 
At  first  he  had  essayed  to  cheer  them  with  words 
of  encouragement ;  but  as  time  p;issed,  these  seemed 
to  sound  hollow  in  their  ears  as  well  as  his  own, 
and  he  changed  them  to  speeches  enjoining  resigna- 
tion, and  words  that  told  of  the  '•  Better  Land." 
He  reminded  them  that  their  mother  was  there,  and 
they  should  all  soon  join  her.  They  would  go  to  her 
together ;  and  how  happy  this  would  be  after  their 
toils  and  sufferings ;  after  so  many  perils  and  fatigues, 
it  would  be  but  pleasure  to  find  rest  in  heaven. 

In  this  way  he  tried  to  win  their  thoughts  from 
dwelling  on  the  terrors  of  death,  every  moment 
frrowin«*  darker  and  seemino'  nearer. 

The  fire  burned  dowm,  smouldered,  and  went  out. 
'No  one  had  thought  of  replenishing  it  with  fuel. 
Though  there  were  faggots  enough  collected  not  far 
off,  the  toil  of  bringing  tliem  forward  seemed  too 
much  for  their  wasted  strength  and  deadened  ener- 
gies. Fire  could  be  of  no  service  to  them  now. 
It  had  done  them  no  good  while  al>laze ;  and  since 
it  had  gone  out,  thov  cared  u.»t  to  renew  it.     If 


l^>i  THE    DAWX     OF    DAT. 

tliey  were  to  die,  tlieir  last  moments  could  scarcely 
be  more  bitter  in  darkness  than  in  light. 

Still  Captain  Redwood  wished  for  light.  He 
wished  for  it,  so  that  he  might  once  more  look  upon 
the  faces  of  his  two  sweet  suffering  pets,  before  the 
pallor  of  death  should  overspread  them.  He  would 
perhaps  have  made  an  effort  to  rekindle  the  fire,  or 
requested  one  of  the  others  to  do  it ;  but  just  then, 
on  turning  his  ejes  to  the  east,  he  saw  a  grayish 
streak  glimmering  above  tlie  line  of  the  sea  horizon. 
He  knew  it  was  the  herald  of  coming  day  ;  and  he 
knew,  moreover,  that,  in  the  latitude  they  were  in, 
the  day  itself  would  not  linger  long  behind. 

"  Thank  God  !"  was  the  exclamation  that  came 
from  his  lips,  low  muttered,  but  in  fervent  emphasis. 
''  Thank  God,  I  shall  see  them  once  more !  Better 
their  lives  should  not  go  out  in  the  darkness." 

Ap  he  spoke  the  words,  and  as  if  to  gratify  him, 
the  streak  on  the  eastern  sky  seemed  rapidly  to 
grow  broader  and  brighter,  its  color  of  pale  gray 
changing  to  golden  yellow;  and  soon  after  the 
upper  limb  of  the  glorious  tropical  sun  showed 
itself  over  the  smooth  surface  of  the  Celebes  Sea. 

As  his  cheering  rays  touched  the  trees  of  the 
forest,  their  eyes  w^ere  first  turned  upon  one  another, 
and  then  in  different  directions.  Those  of  Captain 
Redwood  rested  upon  the  faces  of  his  children,  now 
truly  overspread  with  the  wan  pallor  of  what  seemed 
to  be  rapidly  approaching  death. 


A    JOYFUL    DISCOVERY.  135 

Murtiigli  gazed  wistfully  out  upon  the  ocean,  aa 
if  wishini^  himself  once  more  upon  it,  and  no  doubt 
thinking  of  that  green  isle  far  away  beyond  it; 
while  Saloo's  glance  was  turned  upward — not  toward 
the  heavens,  but  as  if  he  was  contemplating  some 
object  among  the  leaves  of  the  tree  overhead. 

All  at  once  the  expression  upon  his  countenance 
took  a  change — remarkable  as  it  was  sudden.  From 
the  look  of  sullen  despair,  which  but  the  moment 
before  might  have  been  seen  gleaming  out  of  the 
sunken  orbits  of  his  eyes,  his  glance  seemed  to 
change  to  one  of  joy,  almost  with  the  quickness  of 
the  lightning's  flash. 

Simultaneous  with  the  change,  he  sprang  up  from 
his  reclining  position,  uttering  as  he  did  so  an 
exclamation  in  the  Malayan  tongue,  which  his  com- 
panions guessed  to  be  some  formula  of  address  to 
the  Deity,  from  its  ending  with  the  word  "Allah." 

"  De  gleat  God  be  thank  !"  he  continued,  re- 
turning to  his  "  pigeon  English,"  so  that  the  others 
might  understand.  "We  all  be  save.  Buld  no 
poison.  We  no  die  yet.  Come  away,  cappen,"  he 
continued,  bending  down,  and  seizing  the  cliildren 
by  the  hands.  Then  raising  both  on  their  feet,  he 
quickly  added,  "Come  all  away.  Unda  de  tlee 
death.  Out  yonda  we  findee  life.  Come  away — 
way." 

Without  waiting  for  the  consent  either  of  them 
or  their  father,  he  led — indeed,  almost  dragged — 


136  BAYED    AT    LAST. 

Helen  and  Henry  from  under  the  shadow  of  the 
tree  and  out  toward  the  open  sea-beach. 

Though  Captain  Redwood  did  not  clearly  com- 
prehend the  object  of  Saloons  sudden  action,  nor 
Murtagh  comprehend  it  at  all,  both  rose  to  their 
feet  and  followed  with  tottering  steps. 

Not  until  they  had  got  out  upon  the  open  ground, 
and  sat  down  upon  the  sand,  with  the  fresh  sea- 
breeze  fanning  their  fevered  brows,  did  Saloo  give 
an  explanation  of  liis  apparently  eccentric  behavior. 

He  did  so  by  pointing  to  the  tree  under  which 
they  had  passed  the  night,  and  pronouncing  only 
the  one  word — "  Upas." 


CHAPTEE  XX. 


THE     DEADLY     UPAS. 

JP?.J  A  word  sufficient  to  explain  all  that 
'^j^W  had  passed.  Both  Captain  Redwood  and 
^V'f  his  sliip-carpenter  understood  its  signifi- 
cation ;  lor  what  man  is  there  wlio  has  ever  sailed 
through  the  islands  of  the  India  Archipelago  with- 
out having  heard  of  the  upas  ?  Indeed,  who  in  any 
part  of  the  world  has  not  either  heard  or  read  of 
this  poisonous  tree,  supposed  to  carry  death  to 
every  living  thing  for  a  wide  distance  around  it, 
not  even  sparing  shrubs  or  plants — things  of  its 
own  kind — but  inllicting  blight  and  destruction 
wherever  its  envenomed  breath  may  be  wafted  on 
the  breeze  ? 

Captain  Eedwood  was  a  man  of  too  much  intel- 
ligence, and  too  well-informed,  to  have  belief  in 
this  tabulous  tale  of  the  olden  time.  Still  he  knew 
there  was  enough  truth  in  it  to  account  for  all  that 
had  occurred — for  tlie  vertigo  and  vomiting,  the 
horrible  nausea  and  utter  prostration  of  strength 


138  THE    SOURCE    OF   THE    EVIL. 

that  had  come  upon  them  unconsciously.  They 
had  made  their  camp  under  one  of  these  baneful 
trees — the  true  upas  {antiaris  toxicaria) ;  they  had 
kindled  a  fire  beneath  it,  building  it  close  to  the 
trunk — in  fact,  against  it ;  the  smoke  had  ascended 
among  its  leaves ;  the  heat  had  caused  a  sudden 
exudation  of  the  sap ;  and  the  envenomed  vapor 
floating  about  upon  the  air  had  freely  found  its  way 
botli  into  their  mouths  and  nostrils.  For  hours 
had  this  empoisoned  atmosphere  been  their  only 
l)reath,  nearly  depriving  them  of  that  upon  which 
their  lives  depended. 

If  still  suffering  severely  from  the  effects  of 
having  inhaled  the  noxious  vapor,  they  were  now 
no  longer  wretched.  Their  spirits  were  even  re- 
stored to  a  degree  of  cheerfulness,  as  is  always  the 
case  with  those  who  have  just  escaped  from  some 
calamity  or  danger.  They  now  knew  that  in  due 
time  they  would  recover  their  health  and  strength. 
The  glorious  tropical  sun  that  had  arisen  was 
shining  benignantly  in  their  faces,  and  brightening 
everything  around,  while  the  breeze,  blowing  fresh 
upon  them  from  a  serene  sappliire-colored  sea, 
cooled  their  fevered  blood.  They  felt  already  re- 
viving. The  sensations  they  experienced  were  those 
of  one  who,  late  suff'ei-ing  from  sea-sickness,  pent 
up  in  the  state-room  of  a  storm -tossed  ship,  with 
all  its  vile  odors  around  him,  has  been  suddenly 
transferred  to  terrci  firma^  and  laid  upon  some 


SL'XSIIINK    AFTER    SHADOW.  139 

solid  bank,  grassy  or  moss-grown,  witli  tall  trees 
waving  above,  and  the  perfume  of  liowers  floating 
upon  the  balmy  air. 

For  a  long  while  they  sat  upon  the  sands  in  this 
pleasant  dreamy  state,  gazing  upon  the  white  surf 
that  curled  over  the  coral  reefs,  gazing  upon  the 
blue  water  beyond,  following  the  flight  of  large 
white-winged  birds  that  now  and  then  went  plung- 
ing down  into  the  sea,  to  rise  np  with  a  fish  glisten- 
ing in  their  beaks,  half  nnconscions  of  the  scene 
under  their  eyes  and  the  strife  continuing  before 
them,  but  conscious,  contented,  and  even  joyous  at 
knowing  they  still  lived,  and  that  the  time  had  not 
yet  come  for  them  to  die. 

They  no  longer  blamed  the  hombill  for  what  had 
happened.  The  cause  was  in  their  o'svn  careless- 
ness or  imprudence ;  for  Captain  Eedwood  knew 
the  upas  tree,  and  was  well  aware  of  its  dangerous 
properties  to  those  venturing  into  too  close  prox- 
imity. He  had  seen  it  in  other  islands;  for  it 
grows  not  only  in  Java,  with  which  its  name  is 
more  familiarly  identified,  but  in  Bali,  Celebes,  and 
Borneo.  He  had  seen  it  elsewhere,  and  heard  it 
called  by  different  names,  accor«ling  to  the  different 
localities,  as  taijhn^  Mppo^  lijyo^  ant' jar ^  and  iijyas  j 
all  signifying  the  same  thing — the  "  tree  of 
poison." 

Had  he  been  more  careful  about  the  selection  of 
their  camping-place,  and  looked  upon  its  smooth 


140  THE    UPAS-Tr.EE. 

reddish  or  tan-colored  bark  and  closely-set  leaves 
of  glossy  green,  he  wonld  have  recognized  and 
shunned  it.  Pie  did  not  do  so ;  for  who  at  such  a 
time  could  have  been  thinking  of  such  a  catas- 
trophe? Under  a  tree  whose  shade  seemed  so  in- 
viting, who  would  have  suspected  that  danger 
was  lurking,  much  less  that  death  dwelt  among 
its  leaves  and  branches  ? 

The  first  had  actually  arisen,  and  the  last  had 
been  very  near.  But  it  was  now  far  away,  or  at 
least  no  longer  to  be  dreaded  from  the  poison  of 
the  upas.  The  sickness  caused  by  it  would  con- 
tinue for  awhile,  and  it  might  be  some  time  before 
their  strength  or  energies  would  be  fully  restored. 
But  of  dying  there  was  no  danger,  as  the  poison  of 
the  upas  does  not  kill,  when  only  inhaled  as  a 
vapor ;  unless  the  inhalation  be  a  long  time  con- 
tinued. Its  sap  taken  internally,  by  the  chewing 
of  its  leaves,  bark,  or  root,  is  certain  death,  and 
speedy  death.  It  is  one  of  the  ingredients  used 
by  the  Bornean  Dyaks  for  tipping  their  poisoned 
spears,  and  the  arrows  of  their  sumpitans  or  blow- 
guns.  They  use  it  in  combination  with  the  liria^ 
another  deadly  poison,  extracted  from  the  juice  of 
a  parasitical  plant  found  everywhere  through  the 
forests  of  Borneo. 

It  is  singular  that  the  upas-tree  should  belong  to 
the  same  natural  order,  the  Artocarpacese,  as  the 
bread-fruit ;  the  tree  of  death  thus  being  connected 


TTS  XATrnAL  FEATURES.  141 

With  the  tree  of  life.  In  some  of  the  Indian  ishinda 
it  is  called  Popon-xipas  j  in  Java  it  is  known  aa 
the  Ant i jar. 

Its  leaves  are  shaped  like  spear-heads;  the  fruit 
is  a  kind  of  drupe,  clothed  in  tleshy  scales. 

The  juice,  when  prepared  as  a  poison,  is  some- 
times mixed  with  black  pepper,  and  the  juice  of 
galanga-root,  and  of  ginger.  It  is  as  thick  as 
molasses,  and  will  keep  for  a  long  time  if  sheltered 
from  the  action  of  the  air. 

The  upas  does  not  grow  as  a  gregarious  tree,  and 
is  nowhere  found  in  numbers.  Like  the  precious 
treasures  of  nature — gold,  diamonds,  and  pearls — 
her  poisons,  too,  happilj  for  man,  are  sparsely  dis- 
tributed. Even  in  the  climate  and  soil  congenial 
to  it,  the  antiaris  toxicaria  is  rare ;  but  wherever 
discovered  is  sure  to  be  frequently  visited,  if  in  a 
district  where  there  are  hunters  or  warriors  wishing 
to  empoison  and  make  more  deadly  their  shafts.  A 
upas-tree  in  a  well-known  neighborhood  is  usually 
disiigured  by  seams  and  scars,  where  incisions  have 
been  made  to  extract  its  envenomed  juice. 

That  there  were  no  such  marks  upon  the  one 
where  they  had  made  their  camp,  was  evidence 
that  the  neighborhood  was  uninhabited.  So  said 
Saloo,  and  the  others  were  but  too  glad  to  accept 
his  interpretation  of  the  sign. 


CEAPTEE  XXL 


STARTING    FOR   THE    INTERIOR. 

^^ff^ECLINIIS^G  on   the   soft   silvery  sand, 
S^^  inlialino^  the  fresh  morning  breeze  blowing 
F'  .^  in  fi'om  the  Celebes  Sea,  every  breath  of 
J^£i3^  it  seeming  to  infnse  fresh  blood  into  their 
veins  and  renewed  vigor  into  their  limbs,  tlie  cast- 
aways felt  their  health  and  strength  fast  returning. 
Saloo's  prognosis  was  rapidly  proving  itself  correct. 
He  had  said  they  would  soon  recover,  and  they 
now^  acknowledged  the  truth  of  his  prediction. 

Their  cheerfulness  came  back  along  with  their 
returning  strength,  and  wnth  this  also  their  appe- 
tites. Their  dinner-supper  of  roast  hornbill  had 
done  them  little  good ;  but  although  for  a  time 
scared  by  such  diet,  and  determined  to  eschew  it 
when  better  could  be  had,  tliey  were  now  only  too 
glad  to  resort  to  it,  and  it  was  agreed  upon  that 
the  old  hen,  stewed  as  intended,  should  supply  the 
material  of  their  breakfast. 

A  fi-esh  fire  was  kindled  far  away  fi*om  the  dan- 
gerous upas  ;  the  huge  shell,  w^ith  its  contents,  was 


CrLlJCARY    PREPARATIONS.  143 

hastily  snatched  from  the  deadly  shade,  and  sup- 
ported by  four  large  pebbles  to  serve  as  feet  for 
the  queer  stew-pan,  it  was  placed  over  the  burning 
embers,  and  soon  commenced  to  steam  and  Kjueak, 
spreading  around  an  odorous  incense,  tar  plcasanter 
to  the  oltactories  of  the  hungry  party  than  either 
the  fresh  saline  breeze,  or  the  perfume  of  tropical 
flowers  now  and  then  wafted  to  them  from  the 
recesses  of  the  forest.    . 

While  waiting  for  the  flesh  of  the  old  hen  to 
get  properly  and  tenderly  stewed,  they  could  not 
resist  the  temptation  of  making  an  assault  upon 
the  chick ;  and  it,  too,  was  hurriedly  rescued  from 
the  tainted  larder  beneath  the  upas-tree,  spitted 
upon  a  bamboo  sapling,  and  broiled  like  a  scpiab- 
j^igeon  over  the  incandescent  brands. 

It  gave  them  only  a  small  morsel  each,  serving 
as  a  sort  of  prelude  to  the  more  substantial  break- 
fast soon  to  follow,  and  for  which  they  could  now 
wait  with  greater  composure. 

In  due  time  Saloo,  who  was  wonderfully  skilled 
in  the  tactics  of  the  forest  cuisine^  pronounced  the 
stew  sufliciently  done;  when  the  stew-pan  was 
lifted  from  the  fire,  and  set  in  the  soft  sand  for  its 
contents  to  cool. 

Soon  gathering  around  it,  each  was  helped  to 
a  share :  one  to  a  wing  with  liver  or  gizzard, 
another  to  a  thigh-joint  with  a  bit  of  the  breast,  a 
third  to  the  stripped  breast-bone,  or  the  back  one, 


144  A    HASTV    HEAL. 

wltli  its  tliiii  covering  of  flesh,  a  fourth  to  a  variety 
of  stray  giblets. 

There  was  still  a  savory  sauce  remaining  in  the 
pan,  due  to  the  herb  condiments  which  Saloo  had 
collected.  This  was  served  out  in  some  tin  pan- 
nikins, which  the  castaway  crew  had  found  time 
to  fling  into  the  boat  before  parting  from  the  sink- 
ing ship.  It  gave  them  a  soup,  which,  if  they 
could  only  have  had  biscuits  or  bread  with  it, 
would  have  been  quite  as  good  as  coftee  for  their 
breakfast. 

As  soon  as  this  was  eaten,  they  took  steps  to 
change  their  place  of  encampment.  Twice  un- 
fortunate in  the  selection  of  a  site,  they  were  now 
more  particular,  and  carefully  scrutinized  the  next 
tree  under  whose  shadow  they  intended  to  take  up 
their  abode.  A  spreading  flg  not  far  off'  invited 
them  to  repose  beneath  its  umbrageous  foliage ;  and 
removing  tlieir  camp  paraphernalia  from  the  poison- 
breathing  upas,  they  once  more  erected  the  tar- 
paulin, and  recommenced  housekeeping  under  the 
protecting  shelter  of  a  tree  celebrated  in  the  Hindu 
mythology  as  the  ^'  sacred  banyan." 

"  It  was  a  goodly  sight  to  see 
That  venerahle  tree ; 
For  o'er  the  lawn,  irregularly  spread, 
Fifty  straight  columns  propt  its  lofty  head, 
And  many  a  long  depending  shoot, 
Seeking  to  strike  its  root, 


EXCA^^rMENT  uxdkr  a  banyan.  145 

Straight  like  a  plummet  "^rew  toward  the  pround. 
Some  on  the  lower  bou;;hs  which  crost  their  way, 
Fixing  their  bearded  fibres,  round  and  round, 
With  many  a  ring  and  wild  contortion  wound ; 
Some  to  the  passing  wind  at  times,  with  sway 

Of  gentle  motion  swung; 
Others  of  younger  growth,  unmoved,  were  hung 
Like  stone-drops  from  a  cavern's  fretted  height." 

The  banyan  often  measures  thirty  feet  in  girth; 
the  one  selected  by  Captain  Redwood  was  prob- 
ably not  less  than  twenty-five  feet.  Its  peculiarity 
is  that  it  throws  out  roots  from  all  its  branches,  so 
that  as  fast  as  each  branch,  in  gro's^'ing  downward, 
touches  the  ground,  it  takes  root,  and  in  due  time 
serves  as  a  substantial  prop  to  the  horizontal  bough, 
which,  without  some  such  support,  would  give  way 
beneath  its  own  weight. 

They  intended  it  for  only  a  temporary  dwelling- 
place,  until  their  strength  should  be  sufficiently 
established  to  enable  them  to  start  on  their  con- 
templated overland  journey,  ^dth  a  prospect  of 
being  able  to  continue  it  to  its  end. 

It  seemed,  at  length,  as  if  fortune,  hitherto  so 

adverse,  had  tunied  a  smiling  face  toward  them ; 

and  they  w^ere  not  much  longer  to  be  detained 

upon  that  wild   and   dangerous   shore.     For   the 

same  day  on  which  they  removed  from  the  upas 

to  the  tig-tree,  the  latter  furnished  them  with  an 

article  of  food  in  sufficient  quantity  to  stock  their 

larder  for  nearly  a  week,  and  of  a  quality  superior 
10 


146  SALOO    AS    A    CATEEEK. 

in  strengthening  powers  to  either  roast  or  stewed 
hombill,  and  quite  equal  to  the  eggs  of  the  mound- 
making  birds. 

It  was  not  the  fruit  of  the  fig  that  had  done  this ; 
"but  an  animal  they  had  discovered  crawling  along 
one  of  its  branches.  It  was  a  reptile  of  that  most 
hideous  and  horrid  shape,  the  saurian  /  and  only 
the  hungriest  man  could  ever  have  looked  upon, 
with  thoughts  of  eating  it.  But  Saloo  felt  no 
repugnance  of  this  kind ;  he  knew  that  the  huge 
lizard  creeping  along  the  limb  of  the  banyan-tree, 
over  live  feet  long,  and  nearly  as  thick  as  the  body 
of  a  man,  would  afibrd  flesh  not  only  eatable,  but 
such  as  would  have  been  craved  for  by  Apicius,  had 
the  Eoman  epicure  ever  journeyed  through  the 
islands  of  the  Malayan  Archipelago,  and  found  an 
opportunity  of  making  trial  of  it. 

What  they  saw  slowly  traversing  the  branch 
above  them  was  one  of  those  huge  lizards  of  the 
genus  Hydrosaurus^  of  which  there  are  several 
species  in  Indian  climes — like  the  iguanas  of 
America — harmless  creatures,  despite  their  horrid 
appearance,  and  often  furnishing  to  the  hunter  or 
forester  a  meal  of  chops  and  steaks  both  tender 
and  delicious. 

With  this  knowledge  of  what  it  would  afford 
them,  Saloo  had  no  difficulty  in  persuading  Captain 
Kedwood  to  send  a  bullet  through  the  skull  of  the 
hydrosauTus^  and  it  soon  lay  lifeless  upon  the  ground. 


LIZARD    STEAKS.  147 

The  lizard  was  nigh  six  feet  from  snout  to  tail ; 
and  Saloo,  assisted  by  Murtagh,  soon  slipped  a 
piece  of  his  vegetable  rope  around  its  jaws,  and 
slung  it  up  to  a  horizontal  branch  for  the  pui-pose 
of  skinning  it.  Thus  suspended,  with  limbs  and 
arms  sticking  out,  it  bore  a  very  disagreeable  re- 
semblance to  a  human  being  just  hanged.  Saloo 
did  not  care  anything  about  this,  but  at  once  com- 
menced peeling  oft*  its  skin ;  and  then  he  cut  tlie 
body  into  quarters,  and  subdivided  them  into 
"  collops,"  which  were  soon  sputtering  in  the  blaze 
of  a  bright  fire.  As  the  Malay  had  promised, 
these  proved  tender,  tasting  like  young  pork 
steaks,  with  a  slight  flavor  of  chicken,  and  just 
a  soujpqon  of  frog.  Delicate  as  they  were,  how- 
ever, after  three  days'  dieting  upon  them  all  felt 
stronger — almost  strong  enough  indeed  to  com- 
mence their  grand  journey. 

Just  then  another,  and  still  more  strengthening 
kind  of  food  was  added  to  their  larder.  It  was  ob- 
tained by  a  mere  accident,  in  the  form  of  a  huge  wild 
boar  of  the  Bornean  species,  which,  scouring  the 
forest  in  search  of  fruits  or  roots,  had  strayed  close 
to  their  camp  under  the  fig-tree.  He  came  too 
close  for  his  own  safety ;  a  bullet  from  Captain 
Redwood's  rifle  having  put  an  abrupt  stop  to  his 
"  rootings." 

Butchered  in  proper  scientific  fashion,  he  not 
only  afforded  them  food  for  the  time  in  the  shape 


148  HAAI    AND    POKE. 

of  pork  chops,  roast  ribs,  and  the  like ;  but  gave 
them  a  couple  of  hams,  which,  half-cooked  and 
ci  red  by  smoking,  could  be  carried  as  a  sure  sup- 
ply upon  the  journey. 

And  so  provisioned,  they  at  length  determined 
on  commencing  it,  taking  with  them  such  articles 
of  the  wreck-salvage  as  could  be  conveniently 
transferred,  and  might  prove  beneficial.  Bidding 
adieu  to  the  pinnace,  the  dear  old  craft  which 
had  so  safely  carried  them  through  the  dangers  of 
the  deep,  they  embarked  on  a  voyage  of  a  differ- 
ent kind,  in  the  courses  of  which  they  were  far 
less  skilled,  and  of  whose  tracks  and  perils  they 
were  even  more  apprehensive.  But  they  had  no 
other  alternative.  To  remain  on  the  eastern  coast 
of  Borneo  would  be  to  stay  there  forever.  They 
could  not  entertain  the  slightest  hope  of  any  ship 
appearing  off  shore  to  rescue  them.  A  vessel  so 
showing  itself  would  be,  in  all  probability,  a  prau 
filled  with  bloodthirsty  pirates,  who  would  either 
kill  or  make  captives  of  them,  and  afterward  sell 
them  into  slavery :  and  a  slavery  from  which  no 
civilized  power  could  redeem  them,  as  no  civilized 
men  might  ever  see  them  in  their  chains. 

It  w^as  from  knowing  this  terrible  truth  that 
Captain  Redwood  had  resolved  upon  crossing  the 
great  island  ovevland  at  that  part  where  he  sup- 
posed it  to  be  narrowest, — the  neck  lying  between 
its  eastern  coast  and  the  old  Malayan   to^Ti   of 


STARTING    ON    A    JOURNEY. 


149 


Briiili  on  the  west,  adjacent  to  the  islet  of  La])uan, 
where  he  knew  an  English  settlement  was  situated. 
In  pursuance  of  this  determination,  he  struck 
camp,  and  moved  forward  into  a  forest  of  unknown 
paths  and  mysterious  perils. 


CHAPTEE  XXII. 


ACK  OS  8        COUNTRY 


f^'t 


N  undertaking  the  jonrnej  across  Bor- 
Qeo,  Captain  Redwood  knew  there  would 
be  many  difficulties  to  encounter,  as  well 
as  dangers.  There  was  first  the  great 
distance,  which  could  not  be  much  less  than  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles,  even  if  they  should  suc- 
ceed in  making  it  in  a  straight  line — as  the  crow 
flies.  But,  no  doubt,  obstructions  would  present 
themselves  along  the  route  to  cause  many  a  detour. 
Still  this  was  an  obstacle  which  time  would  over- 
come. At  the  rate  of  ten  miles  a  day,  it  would  be 
conquered  in  a  month  ;  and  if  two  months  should 
have  to  be  spent,  it  would  not  be  a  very  formidable 
hardship,  considering  that  it  was  a  journey  over- 
taken to  carry  them  through  a  savage  wilderness, 
and  restore  them  to  civilization — nay,  almost  to 
life. 

That  it  was  to  be  made  on  foot  did  not  dismay 
them.  They  had  quite  recovered  from  the  effects 
of  their  sea-sufi'ering,  as  also  from  the  poisonous 


WHAT    OF   THE    FUTURE?  151 

breath  of  the  upas,  and  felt  strong  enough  to  under- 
take any  great  feat  of  pedestrianism.  And,  as  they 
were  under  no  limits  as  to  time,  they  could  adopt 
such  a  rate  of  speed  as  the  nature  of  the  paths 
would  permit.  On  this  score  there  was  neither 
apprehension  nor  uneasiness ;  there  might  have 
been  about  provisions,  as  the  cured  hams  of  the 
wild  boar  could  not  possiljly  last  longer  than  a 
week ;  and  what  were  they  to  eat  after  these  were 
consumed  ? 

Saloo  set  their  minds  at  rest  on  this  matter,  by 
telling  them  that  the  interior  forests  of  Borneo — 
which  he  did  not  know — if  they  at  all  resembled 
those  of  Sumatra — which  he  did  know — would  be 
found  full  of  fruit-bearing  trees ;  and,  besides, 
numerous  chances  would  arise  for  killing  or  cap- 
turing birds  and  other  small  game,  even  if  a  deer 
or  a  second  wild  boar  did  not  present  himself.  In 
order  to  be  prepared  for  any  such  that  might  come 
in  his  way,  as  well  as  to  save  their  ammunition,  of 
which  they  had  but  a  limited  supply,  Saloo  had 
spent  the  last  few  days  of  their  sojourn  upon  the 
coast  in  the  manufiicture  of  a  weapon  well  suited 
for  such  a  purpose,  even  better  than  musket  or 
rifle.  It  was  the  "  Sumj^itan,"  or  blow-gun.  This 
the  Malay  had  made,  along  with  a  complete  set  of 
"  sumpits,"  or  arrows,  and  a  quiver  to  contain  them. 
The  sumpitan  itself — eight  feet  in  length — he 
fashioned  from  a  straight  sapling  of  the  beautiful 


152 


ca^uarina  tree,  which  grows  throughout  the  islands 
of  the  Malayan  Archipelago;  while  the  little  ar- 
rows, only  eight  inches  long,  he  obtained  from  the 
medium  of  the  leatiets  of  the  nihong  palms,  many 
of  which  were  found  near  the  spot  where  they  had 
encamped.  The  pith  of  the  same  palm  served 
him  for  the  swell  of  the  arrow,  which,  being  com- 
pressible like  cork,  fills  up  the  tube  of  the  sumpi- 
tan,  and  renders  the  shaft  subject  to  propulsion 
from  the  quick  puff  of  breath  which  the  blov/-gun 
marksman,  from  long  practice,  knows  how  to  give  it. 

Saloo  had  been  one  of  the  best  sumpitan  shooters 
in  all  Sumatra,  and  could  send  an  arrow  with  true 
aim  a  distance  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards.  But 
to  make  its  effect  deadly  at  this  distance,  something 
more  than  the  mere  pricking  of  the  tiny  "  sumpit" 
was  needed.  This  something  was  a  strong  \GgQ- 
table  poison  which  he  also  knew  how  to  prepare ; 
and  the  upas-tree,  that  had  so  nearly  proved  fatal 
to  all  of  them,  was  now  called  into  requisition  to 
efiect  a  friendly  service.  Drawing  upon  its  sap, 
and  mixing  it  with  that  of  another  poisonous  plant 
— the  hina — Saloo  gave  the  points  of  his  sumpits 
a  coating  of  the  combined  juices,  so  that  they  would 
carry  death  into  the  veins  of  any  animal  having  the 
ill-fortune  to  be  pierced  by  them. 

Thus  armed  and  equipped,  he  had  little  fear  on 
the  score  of  a  scarcity  of  provisions  during  the 
journey.     On  the  contrary,  he  declared   liimself 


WILD    MEN    OF    TUE    WOODS.  153 

confident  or  beins^  aWe  to  keep  tlie  oonimissuriat  np 
to  a  point  of  supply  sufficient  for  the  whole  party. 
It  may  be  thought  strange  that  they  did  not 
speculate  on  the  chances  of  arriving  at  some  town 
or  settlement  of  the  natives.  Indeed  they  did  so, 
but  only  with  the  thought  of  avoiding  them ;  fur 
the  minds  of  all— the  Malay  not  excepted — were 
mied  with  apprehensions  respecting  the  Dyak  and 
other  savage  tribes,  which  report  places  in  the 
interior  of  Borneo,  and  to  whom  long  accredited, 
though  perhaps  only  imaginative,  stories  have  given 
a  character  alike  terrible  and  mysterious.  They 
could  think  of  them  only  as  savages — wild  men  of 
the  woods — some  of  them  covered  with  hair,  and 
whose  chief  delight  and  glory  are  the  cutting  off 
men's  heads,  and  not  unfrequently  feasting  on 
men's  ilesh !  Ko  wonder  that,  with  these  tacts,  or 
fancies,  acting  upon  their  imagination,  our  travel- 
lers set  forth  upon  their  journey  determined  to 
give  a  wide  berth  to  everything  that  bore  the  shape 
of  a  human  being.  It  was  a  strange  commentary 
on  man's  superiority  to  the  lower  animals,  and  not 
very  creditable  to  the  former,  that  he  himself  was 
the  thing  they  most  feared  to  meet  with  in  the 
wooded  wilderness.  And  yet,  humiliating  as  the 
reflection  may  appear,  it  depressed  the  minds  of 
the  castaways,  as,  looking  their  last  upon  the 
bright  blue  sea,  they  turned  their  faces  toward  the 
interior  of  the  forest-covered  land  of  Borneo. 


154  THE    FIRST    DAY. 

For  the  first  day  they  pursued  a  course  leading 
along  the  bank  of  the  stream  at  whose  month  they 
had  been  sojourning  ever  since  their  arrival  on  the 
island.  They  had  more  than  one  reason  for  keep- 
ing to  the  stream.  It  seemed  to  flow  in  a  due 
easterly  direction,  and  therefore  to  ascend  it  would 
lead  them  due  west — the  way  they  w^anted  to  go. 
Besides,  tliere  was  a  path  along  its  banks,  not  made 
by  man,  but  evidently  by  large  animals;  w^hose 
tracks,  seen  here  and  there  in  soft  places,  show^ed 
them  to  be  tapirs,  w^ld-boars,  and  the  larger  but 
more  rare  rhinoceros. 

They  saw  none  of  these  animals  during  their 
day's  journey,  though  many  of  the  traces  were 
fresh.  Generally  nocturnal  in  their  habits,  the 
huge  pachydermatous  creatures  that  had  made 
them  were,  during  daylight,  probably  lying  asleep 
in  their  lairs,  amid  the  thick  underwood  of  the 
adjacent  jungles. 

The  travellers  might  have  brought  the  pinnace 
up  the  river — so  far  it  was  deep  enough  to  be 
navigated  by  a  row-boat ;  and  they  had  at  first 
thought  of  doing  so.  But  for  several  reasons  they 
had  changed  their  minds,  and  abandoned  their 
boat.  It  was  too  heavy  to  be  easily  propelled  by 
oars,  especially  against  the  current  of  a  stream 
which  in  many  places  was  very  rapid.  Besides,  if 
there  should  be  a  settlement  of  savages  on  the 
bank,  to  approach  in  a  boat  would  just  be  the  way 


THE    MOUXTAIN-RAXGE.  lot 

to  expose  themselves  to  being  seen,  without  lirst 
seeiTig. 

But  to  Captain  Redwood  the  chief  objection 
was,  that  a  mountain-range  rose  only  a  sliort  dis- 
tance oti',  and  tlie  stream  appeared  to  issue  from  its 
steep  sloping  side ;  in  which  case  it  would  soon 
assume  the  character  of  a  headlong  torrent,  utterly 
unfit  for  navigation.  Even  had  water  travel  been 
easier,  it  could  not  have  been  long  continued — 
perhaps  not  beyond  a  single  day  ;  and  it  was  not 
deemed  worth  while  to  bring  the  pinnace  with 
them.  So  thought  the  captain,  and  the  others 
agreeing,  the  boat  was  left  where  they  had  long 
since  concealed  her — under  the  banyan-tree. 

The  captain's  conjectures  proved  correct.  The 
evening  of  the  iirst  day's  march  brouglit  them  to 
tlie  base  of  the  mountain-ridge,  xiown  whose  rocky 
flank  the  stream  poured  with  the  strength  and 
velocity  of  a  torrent.  'No  boat  could  have  farther 
ascended  it. 

As  the  path  leading  along  its  edge,  and  hitherto 
comparatively  level  and  smooth,  now  changed  to 
a  difficult  ascent  up  a  rough  rock-strewn  ravine, 
they  encamped  at  the  mountain-fuot  for  the  first 
night  of  their  journey. 

Next  day  was  spent  in  ascending  the  mountain  ; 
following  the  ravine  up  to  its  head,  where  wei'e 
found  the  sources  of  the  stream.  Staying  only  for 
a   short   noon-tide    rest,    they   kept    upward,   and 


156  THE    WATER    SUPPLY. 

reached  the  liigliest  point  of  the  ridge  jnst  as  the 
sun  was  again  sinking  into  the  depths  of  the  forest 
before  them. 

At  their  camping-place  on  the  second  night  no 
water  was  near;  and  they  might  have  suffered 
from  the  want  of  it,  had  they  not  taken  the  pre- 
caution to  provide  against  such  a  deficiency.  Their 
experience  as  castaw^ays,  especially  the  memory  of 
their  sufferings  from  thirst,  had  rendered  them 
wary  of  being  again  subjected  to  so  terrible  a  tor- 
ture. Each  of  the  three  men  carried  a  "  canteen" 
strung  to  his  waist — the  joint  of  a  large  bamboo 
that  held  at  least  half  a  gallon ;  while  the  boy  and 
girl  also  had  their  cane  canteens,  proportioned  to 
their  size  and  strength.  All  had  been  tilled  with 
cool  clear  water  before  leaving  the  last  source  of 
the  stream,  a  supply  sufficient  to  serve  during  their 
transit  of  the  dry  mountain -ridge. 

The  remainder  of  that  night  was  spent  upon  its 
summit;  but  as  this  proved  of  considerable  breadth, 
and  was  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  jungle- 
trees,  it  was  near  sunset  the  next  day  before  they 
arrived  at  the  edge  of  its  eastern  declivity,  and 
obtained  a  view  of  the  country  beyond. 

The  sun  was  descending  behind  the  crest  of 
another  mountain-ridge,  apparently  parallel  with 
that  upon  wdiich  they  were,  and  not  less  than 
twenty  miles  distant  from  it.  Between  the  two 
extended  a  valley,  or  rather  a  level  plain,  thickly 


A    FATU    PROSPECT.  15'< 

covered  with  forest,  except  where  a  sheet  of  water 
gleamed  in  the  setting  sun  like  a  disk  of  li(iuid  gold. 

Kor  was  the  plain  all  level.  Here  and  there^ 
above  the  w<wded  surface,  rose  isolated  hills,  of 
rounded  mound-like  shape,  also  clothed  with  tim- 
ber, but  with  trees  whose  foliage,  of  lighter  sheen, 
showed  them  to  be  of  species  different  from  those 
on  the  plain  below. 

Through  a  break  among  the  branches  of  those 
now  shadowing  them  on  the  mountain  brow,  the 
travellers  for  some  time  contemplated  the  country 
before  them,  and  across  which,  upon  the  morrow, 
thej  would  have  to  make  their  way. 

At  this  nioment  Saloo  muttered  some  words, 
which,  coupled  with  the  expression  upon  his  coun- 
tenance as  he  gave  utterance  to  them,  alarmed  his 
companions.     The  words  were, — 

"  It  lookee  like  countly  of  mias  lornbi.  Cappen 
Ledwad,  if  dat  wild  debbel  lib  in  dem  wood  below, 
bettel  we  go  all  lound.  We  tly  closs  it,  may  be  we 
get  eat  up.  Singapo  tiga  not  so  dang'lous  as  mias 
— he  not  common  kind,  but  gleat  mias  lomhi — 
what  Poltugee  people  callee  '  led  golilla^  " 

"The  red  gorilla P^  ejaculated  Captain  Ked- 
wood.     "  Is  it  the  ouranfj-outang  you  mean  ?" 

"  Same  ting,  Sahib  cappen.  Some  call  him 
oolang-ootang,  some  say  led  golilla.  One  kind 
belly  big — belly  bad — he  call  mias  lomhi.  He 
cally  away  women,  childen ;  take  'em  up  into  top 


158  THE    RED    GORILLA. 

ob  de  highest  tallee  tlee.  Nobody  know  what  he 
do  then.  Eat  'em  up  may  be.  What  fol  else  he 
want  'em  ?  Ah !  Cappen  Ledwad,  w^e  dlead  de 
oolang-Dyak.  lie  no  half  dang'lous  like  oolang- 
ootang  led  golilla." 

Notwithstanding  the  patois  of  his  speech,  what 
Saloo  said  was  well  enough  understood  b}^  his  com- 
panions, for  in  the  led  golilla  or  oolang-ootang  of 
his  peculiar  pronunciation,  they  recognized  the 
long  known  and  world-renowned  ape  of  Borneo, 
which,  although  safe  enough  when  seen  inside  the 
cage  of  the  showman,  is  a  creature  to  be  dreaded — 
at  least  the  species  spoken  of — when  encountered 
in  its  native  haunts,  the  forests  of  Sumatra  and 
Borneo. 


CHAPTEK  XXIII. 


TOUGH     TKAYELLING. 

^^^^^EXT  moming  they  did  not  start  so  early^ 
^Kfl  ^   because  the  great  plain  before  them  waa 
^^^  shrouded    under  a  fog,  and  they  waited 
^;^-     for  it  to  pass  off. 

It  was  not  dispelled  until  tlie  sun  had  risen  in 
the  heavens  behind  them,  for  their  backs  were  still 
to  the  east,  their  route  lying  due  westward. 

During  the  night,  and  again  in  the  morning, 
they  had  discussed  the  question  of  striking  straiglit 
across  the  plain,  or  making  a  circuitous  march 
around  it.  When  the  fog  at  length  lifted,  this 
point  was  definitely  settled  by  what  they  saw 
before  and  on  each  side  of  them,  that  the  great 
valley  plain  extended  both  to  right  and  left  beyond 
the  limits  of  their  vision.  To  go  round  it  might 
add  scores  of  miles  and  many  days  to  their  journey. 
They  could  not  think  of  taking  such  a  circuitous 
route,  even  with  the  fear  of  the  wild  men  before 
them ;  a  danger  Captain  Redwood  believed  to  bo 
greatly  exaggerated  by  the  Malay,  who  in  such  mat- 


160  CROSSING    THE    PLAIN. 

ters  was  of  somewliat  imaginative  turn.  Throwing 
aside  all  thought  of  such  an  encounter,  they  struck 
down  the  mountain  slope,  determined  on  crossing 
the  plain. 

It  was  sunset  when  they  arrived  at  the  mountain- 
foot,  and  another  night  was  passed  there. 

On  the  following  morning  they  commenced  the 
passage  of  the  plain ;  which  introduced  them  to  a 
very  different  and  much  more  difficult  kind  of 
travelling  than  any  they  had  experienced  since 
leaving  the  sea-coast.  Some  parts  of  their  journey, 
both  in  the  ascent  and  descent,  had  been  toilsome 
enough ;  but  the  slopes,  as  well  as  the  summits, 
were  comparatively  clear  of  underwood.  On  the 
low  level  it  was  quite  another  affair.  The  huge 
forest  trees  were  loaded  with  parasitical  creepers, 
which,  stretching  from  trunk  to  trunk  in  all  direc- 
tions, formed  here  and  there  an  impenetrable  net 
or  trellis-work.  In  such  places  the  kris  of  Saloo, 
and  the  ship's  axe  carried  by  Murtagh,  were  called 
into  requisition,  and  much  time  was  expended  in 
cutting  a  way  through  the  tangled  growth. 

Another  kind  of  obstacle  was  also  occasionally 
met  with,  in  the  brakes  of  bamboo,  where  these 
gigantic  canes,  four  or  five  inches  in  diameter,  and 
rising  to  a  height  of  over  fifty  feet,  grew  so  close 
together  that  even  a  snake  would  have  found  diffi- 
culty in  working  its  way  through  them.  Fortu- 
nately, their  stems  being  hollow,  they  are  easily 


THE    CAXE    BRAKES.  161 

brought  down,  and  a  single  stroke  from  the  axe, 
or  even  Saloo's  sharp  kris,  given  slantingly,  would 
send  one  of  them  crashing  over,  its  leafy  top 
bearing  along  with  it  the  long  ribbon-like  leaves 
of  many  others. 

One  of  these  cane  brakes  proved  to  be  upward 
of  a  mile  in  width,  and  its  passage  delayed  them 
at  least  three  houi*s.  They  might  have  attempted 
to  get  round  it,  but  they  did  not  know  how  far  it 
extended.  Possibly  ten  or  twenty  miles — for  the 
bamboo  thickets  often  run  in  belts,  their  gi-owth 
being  due  to  the  presence  of  some  narrow  water 
track,  or  the  course  of  a  stream.  In  the  Indian 
Archipelago  are  several  species  of  these  tall  canes, 
usually  known  by  the  general  name  of  hamhoo^ 
though  differing  from  each  other  in  size  and  other 
respects.  They  furnish  to  the  inhabitants  of  these 
islands  the  material  for  almost  every  article  required 
for  their  domestic  economy — as  the  various  species 
of  palms  do  to  the  natives  of  South  America — 
more  especially  the  denizens  of  the  great  Amazon 
valley.  Kot  only  are  their  houses  constructed  of 
bamboo,  but  the  greater  portion  of  their  praus; 
while  utensils  of  many  kinds,  cups,  bottles,  and 
water -casks  of  the  best  make,  are  obtained  from 
its  huge  joints,  cheaply  and  conveniently.  A  bare 
catalogue  of  bamboo  tools  and  utensils  would  cer- 
tainly occupy  several  pages. 

Notwithstanding  its  valuable  properties,  our 
11 


162  THE    SPIDER-WEBS. 

travellers  hated  the  sight  of  it;  and  more  than 
once  the  Irishman,  as  he  placed  his  axe  upon  tlie 
silicions  culms,  was  heard  to  speak  disrespectfully 
about  it,  "weeshin'  that  there  wasn't  a  stalk  of 
the  cane  in  all  Burnayo." 

But  another  kind  of  obstruction  vexed  Murtagh 
even  more  than  the  brakes  of  bamboo.  This  was 
the  webs  of  huge  spiders — ugly  tarantula-looking 
annuals — whose  nets  in  places,  extending  from 
tree  to  tree,  traversed  the  forest  in  every  direction, 
resembling  the  seines  of  a  fishing- village  hung  out 
to  dry,  or  miles  of  musquito-curtain  depending 
from  the  horizontal  branches.  Through  this 
strange  festoonerj  they  had  to  make  their  way, 
often  for  hundreds  of  yards;  the  soft  silky  sub- 
stance clutching  disagreeably  around  their  throats 
and  clinging  to  their  clothes  till  each  looked  as 
though  clad  in  an  integument  of  ragged  cottou,  or 
the  long  loose  wool  of  a  merino  sheep  yet  unwoven 
into  cloth.  And  as  they  forced  their  way  through 
it — at  times  requiring  strength  to  extricate  them 
from  its  tough  retentive  hold — they  could  see  the 
hideous  forms  of  the  huge  spiders  who  had  spun 
and  woven  these  strangely  patterned  webs  scuttling 
off,  and  from  their  dark  retreats  in  the  crevices  of  the 
trees  looking  defiant  and  angry  at  the  intruders  upon 
their  d(  main— perhaps  never  before  trodden  by  man. 

Yet  another  kind  of  obstruction  our  travellers 
had  t(    encounter  on  their  way  across  the  great 


TIIK    FOREST    GLOOM.  103 

plain.  There  were  tracts  of  moist  ground,  soiiie- 
tiines  covered  with  tall  forest-trees,  at  others  o])en- 
iiig  out  into  a  sedgy  morass,  with  perhaps  a  small 
lake  or  water-patch  in  the  centre.  The  first  requii'cd 
them  to  make  way  through  mud,  or  thick  stagnant 
water  covered  with  scum,  often  reaching  ahove 
their  knees.  These  places  were  especially  disagree- 
able to  cross ;  for  under  the  gloomy  shadow  of  the 
trees  they  would  now  and  tlien  catch  a  glimpse  of 
huge  newt-like  lizards  of  the  genus  hydrosminis 
— almost  as  large  as  crocodiles — slowly  Houndering 
out  of  the  way,  as  if  reluctant  to  leave,  and  half- 
determined  to  dispute  the  passage. 

Moreover,  while  thus  occupied,  they  lived  in 
the  obscurity  of  an  eternal  twilight,  and  could 
travel  only  by  guess-work.  They  had  no  guide 
save  the  sun,  which  in  these  shadows  is  never 
visible.  Through  the  thick  foliage  overhead  its 
disk  could  not  be  seen  ;  nor  aught  that  would 
enable  them  to  determine  its  position  in  the  sky, 
and  along  with  it  their  direction  upon  the  earth. 
It  was,  therefore,  not  only  a  relief  to  their  feelings, 
but  a  positive  necessity  for  their  continuance  in  the 
right  direction,  that  now  and  then  a  stretch  of  open 
swamp  obstructed  their  track.  True,  it  caused 
them  to  make  a  detour,  and  so  wasted  their  time ; 
but  then  it  aftbrded  them  a  glimpse  of  the  sun's 
orb,  and  enabled  them  to  pursue  their  journey  in 
the  right  course. 


164  A    DIFFICULT   JOURNEY. 

During  tlie  midday  hours  they  were  deprived 
of  even  this  guidance ;  for  the  meridian  sun  gives 
no  clue  to  the  points  of  the  compass.  They  did 
not  much  feel  the  disadvantage ;  as  at  noon-tide 
the  hot  tropical  atmosphere  had  become  almost  in- 
supportable, and  "^he  heat,  added  to  their  fatigue 
from  incessant  toiling  through  tliicket  and  swamp, 
made  it  necessary  for  them  to  take  several  hours 
of  rest. 

They  resumed  their  journey  in  the  evening,  as 
the  sun,  declining  toward  the  western  horizon, 
pointed  out  to  them  the  way  they  were  to  go. 
They  aimed  to  reach  the  sheet  of  water  seen  by 
them  from  the  brow  of  the  mountain.  They 
Avished  to  strike  it  at  its  southern  end,  as  this  was 
right  in  the  direction  westward.  It  appeared  to 
lie  about  midway  between  the  two  mountain- 
ranges;  and,  in  such  a  case,  would  be  a  proper 
halting-place  on  their  journey  across  the  plain. 

On  starting  from  the  higher  ground,  they  ex- 
pected to  reach  it  in  a  few  hours  or  at  the  latest  by 
sunset  of  that  same  day.  But  it  was  twilight  of 
the  third  day,  wdien,  with  exhausted  strength  and 
wearied  limbs,  their  clothing  torn  and  mud-stained, 
they  stood  upon  its  nearest  shore  !  Tliey  did  not 
stand  there  long,  but  dropping  down  upon  the 
earth,  forgetful  of  everything — even  the  necessity 
of  keeping  watch — they  surrendered  themselves 
over  to  sleep. 


CHAPTEE  XXIY. 


A  RED  SATYK. 


HEY  slept  until  a  late  hour  of  the 
morning;  when,  ronsing  themselves  with 
difficulty,  they  kindled  a  fire  and  cooked 
a  breakfast  of  the  boar's  ham  cured  by 
them  before  leaving  the  coast.  It  was  the  second, 
and  of  course  the  last,  already  becoming  rapidly 
reduced  to  a  "knuckle;"  for  their  journey  was 
now  entering  upon  the  second  week. 

They  bethought  them  of  making  a  halt  on  the 
bank  of  the  lake ;  partly  to  recruit  their  strength 
after  the  long-continued  fatigue,  and  partly,  if  pos- 
sible, to  replenish  their  larder. 

Saloo  got  ready  his  blow-gun  and  poisoned 
arrows;  Captain  Eedwood  looked  to  his  rifle; 
while  the  ship-carpenter,  whose  specialty  was 
fishing,  and  who  for  this  purpose  had  brought  his 
hooks  and  lines  along  with  him,  determined  on 
trying  wliat  species  of  the  finny  tribe  frequented 
the  inland  lake,  in  hopes  they  might  prove  lesa 


166  IMPRUDENT    HENRY. 

shy  at  biting  tlian  their  brethren  of  the  sea-coast 
stream. 

Again  the  three  men  started  off,  Mnrtagh  tra- 
versing in  soHtude  the  edge  of  the  lake,  while 
Captjiin  Redwood,  with  his  rifle — accompanied  by 
Saloo,  carrying  his  sumpitan  and  quiver  of  poisoned 
an*ows — struck  direct  into  the  woods. 

Henry  and  Helen  remained  where  they  had 
passed  the  night,  under  the  shadow  of  a  spreading 
tree ;  which,  although  of  a  species  unknown  to  the 
travellers,  had  been  cautiously  scrutinized  by  them, 
and  seemed  to  be  neither  a  durion  nor  a  upas.  They 
were  cautioned  not  to  stir  a  step  from  the  spot  till 
the  others  should  return. 

Though  in  other  respects  a  good,  obedient  boy, 
Henry  Redwood  w^as  not  abundantly  gifted  with 
prudence.  He  was  a  native-born  'New  Yorker,  and 
as  such,  of  course,  precocious,  courageous,  daring, 
even  to  a  fault — in  short,  having  the  heart  of  a 
man  beating  within  the  l)reast  of  a  boy.  So  in- 
spired, when  a  huge  bird,  standing  even  taller  than 
himself  on  its  great  stilt-like  legs — it  was  the  adju- 
tant stork  of  India  {cico7iia  argalia) — dropped 
down  upon  the  point  of  a  little  peninsida  which 
projected  into  the  lake,  he  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  of  getting  a  shot  at  it. 

Grasping  the  great  ship's  musket — part  of  the 
paraphernalia  they  had  brought  along  with  them, 
and  which  was  almost  as  much  as  he  could  staggei 


CAN   THIS    BE    MAN  ?  1G7 

under — lie  started  to  stalk  the  grciit  crane,  leaving 
little  Helen  under  the  tree. 

Some  reeds  growing  along  the  edge  of  the  lake 
ottered  a  chance  by  which  the  game  might  he  a}>- 
proached,  and  under  cover  of  them  he  had  crept 
almost  within  shot  of  it,  when  a  cry  fell  upon  his 
ear,  thrilling  him  w^ith  a  sudden  dread. 

It  ^vas  the  voice  of  his  sister  Helen,  uttered  in 
tones  of  alarm  ! 

Turning  suddenly,  he  wondered  not  that  her 
cries  were  continued  in  the  wildest  terror,  mingled 
with  convulsive  ejaculations.  A  man  had  drawn 
near  her,  and  oh  !  such  a  man !  Never  in  all  his 
experience,  nor  in  his  darkest  and  most  distorted 
dreams,  had  he  seen,  or  dreamt  of,  a  human  being 
so  hideous  as  that  he  now  saw,  half-standing,  hall- 
crouching,  only  a  short  distance  from  his  sister's 
resting-place. 

It  was  a  man  who,  if  he  had  only  been  in  an 
erect  attitude,  would  have  stood  at  least  eight  feet 
in  height,  and  this  would  have  been  in  an  under- 
proportion  to  the  size  of  his  head,  the  massive 
breadth  of  his  body  across  the  breast  and  shoulders, 
and  the  length  of  his  arms.  But  it  was  not  his 
gigantic  size  which  made  him  so  terrible,  or  wdiich 
electrified  the  heart  of  the  boy,  at  a  safe  distance, 
as  it  had  done  that  of  the  girl,  nearer  and  in  moi*e 
danger.  It  was  the  tout  ensemble  of  this  strango 
creature  in  human  shape — a  man  apparently  cov 


168 


THE    BOENEAN    SATYR. 


ered  all  over  with  red  hair,  thick  and  shaggy,  as 
upon  the  skin  of  a  wolf  or  bear;  bright  red  over 
the  body  and  limbs,  and  blacker  upon  the  face, 
w^here  it  was  thinnest — a  creature,  in  shorty  such 
as  neither  boy  nor  girl  had  ever  before  seen,  and 
such  as  was  long  believed  to  exist  only  in  the 
imagination  of  the  ancients,  under  the  appella- 
tion of  "  satyr." 


I 


CHAPTEE  XXV. 


SILENCE     RESTORED. 

T  first  sight  of  the  brute,  notwithstand- 
ing its  strangely  monstrous  appearance, 
Henry  had  really  mistaken  it  for  a  man ; 
i\M  but  a  moment's  reflection  convinced  him 
that  he  was  looking  upon  an  ape  instead  of  a  man, 
and  one  of  such  gigantic  size  as  to  make  him  cer- 
tain it  must  be  the  animal  spoken  of  by  Saloo 
under  the  various  appellations  of  mias  romhi, 
oicrang-outang,  and  7'ed  gorilla.  Saloo's  remarks 
concerning  this  ape,  and  his  emphatic  warnings, 
were  not  at  all  pleasant  to  be  now  recalled.  Though 
brave  as  a  young  lion,  he  looked  upon  the  shaggy 
monster  with  fear  and  trembling.  Far  less  for 
himself  than  for  his  sister ;  who,  being  nearer  to  it, 
was,  of  course,  in  greater  peril  of  an  attack.  This, 
indeed,  seemed  imminent,  and  his  first  thought 
was  to  rush  to  the  spot  and  discharge  his  musket 
into  the  monster's  face.  He  was  restrained  only 
by  seeing  that  Helen,  moved  by  an  instinct  of  self- 
preservation,  had  made  an  eflbrt  to  save  herself  by 


170  THE    gorilla's    HABITS. 

gliding  round  tlie  trunk  of  the  tree,  and  seeking 
concealment  on  its  opposite  side.  At  the  same 
time  she  had  prudently  ceased  her  cries ;  and  as 
the  animal  did  not  show  any  intention  of  following 
her,  but  rather  seemed  inclined  to  keep  toward  the 
edge  of  the  lake,  the  boy  bethought  him  that  his 
best  course  would  be  not  to  discharge  his  musket 
until  the  ape  should  make  some  hostile  demonstra- 
tion. 

Saloo  had  told  them  that  the  brute  is  not  always 
disposed  to  commence  the  attack  upon  man.  If  left 
alone,  it  will  go  its  own  way,  except  during  certain 
seasons,  when  the  females  are  feaiful  for  their 
young  offspring.  Then  they  will  assail  every  in- 
truder that  comes  near,  whether  man  or  animal. 
But  when  wounded  or  enraged  they  wdll  not  only 
act  on  the  defensive,  but  attack  their  enemies  in  the 
most  spiteful  and  implacable  manner. 

Remembering  these  things,  and  hoping  the  huge 
creature  might  take  a  peaceful  departure  from  the 
place,  Henry,  who  had  already  held  his  musket  at 
the  level,  lowered  its  muzzle,  at  the  same  time 
dropping  upon  his  knees  among  some  tall  grass, 
which,  in  this  attitude,  tolerably  well  concealed 
him. 

He  soon  saw  that  he  had  acted  wisely.  The 
hairy  monster  seemed  altogether  to  ignore  the 
presence  of  liis  sister  and  himself;  and  as  if  neither 
were  witliin  a  thousand  miles  of  the  spot,  kept  on 


A    VEGETARIAN-.  I7l 

its  coTirse  toward  the  margin  of  the  water.  For 
tniiately  for  Henry,  it  went  qnite  another  way, 
which,  widening  diagonally,  did  not  bring  the 
creature  at  all  near  him.  It  was  evidently  directing 
its  conrse  toward  some  liliaceons  plants  with  large 
succulent  stems,  which  formed  a  patcli  or  bed, 
stamling  in  the  water,  but  close  to  the  brink  of 
the  lake. 

From  what  Saloo  had  said,  he  knew  that  the 
ourang-outang  subsists  chiefly  on  fruits  ;  but  these 
sometimes  failing,  it  takes  to  the  leaves  and  shoots 
of  water-plants,  found  plenteously  along  the  banks 
of  tropical  streams  and  the  shores  of  inland  lakes. 
In  all  probability  there  was  not  enough  li-uit  in  the 
neio'hborhood  to  satisfv  the  hirsute  e^entleman  now 
passing  before  their  eyes ;  or  else  he  had  a  fancy  to 
vary  his  diet  by  making  a  meal  upon  some  simple 
vegetables.  He  soon  reached  the  patch  of  tall 
water-plants;  waded  in  nearly  knee-deep;  and 
then  with  arms,  each  of  which  had  the  sweep  of 
a  mower's  scythe,  drew  in  their  heads  toward  him, 
and  with  a  mouth  wide  as  that  of  a  hippopotamus, 
cropped  off  the  succulent  shoots  and  flower-stems, 
and  munched  them  like  an  ox  in  the  act  of  chewing 

its  cud. 

Seeing  the  huge  hairy  creature  thus  peaceably 
disposed,  and  hoping  it  would  for  some  time 
continue  in  this  harmless  disposition,  Henry  rose 
from  his   kneeling   attitude,  and   glided  silently, 


172 


BKOTHER    AND    SISTER. 


but  swiftly,  toward  the  tree.  Joining  his  sistei 
Helen,  he  flung  his  arms  around  her  as  he  rose 
erect,  and  kissed  her  to  chase  away  the  eiiects  of 
the  terrible  fright  she  had  sustained. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


IN    FEAR   AND   TKEMBLINO. 


'HE  kiss  which  Henry  gave  his  little 
sister  was  not  one  of  congratulation. 
He  was  not  yet  sure  of  her  safety,  or 
of  his  own.  The  hairy  monster  was 
still  in  sight — not  more  than  a  hundred  yards  off 
— and  though  apparently  busy  with  his  banquet 
on  the  tender  shoots  of  the  water-plants,  might  at 
any  moment  discontinue  it,  and  spring  upon  them. 
What  was  the  best  thing  to  be  done  in  order  to 
escape  him  ?  Run  oif  into  the  forest,  and  try  to 
iind  their  father  and  Saloo?  They  might  go  the 
wrong  way,  and  by  so  doing  make  things  worse. 
The  great  ape  itself  would  soon  be  returning 
among  the  trees,  and  might  meet  them  in  the 
teeth ;  there  would  then  be  no  chance  of  avoiding 
an  encounter. 

To  go  after  Murtagh  would  be  an  equally  doubt- 
ful proceeding ;  they  were  ignorant  of  the  direction 
the  ship-carpenter  had  taken. 


1T4  WATCHING    THE    FOE. 

Young  as  they  were,  a  moment's  reflection  ad- 
monished them  not  to  stir  from  the  spot. 

But  what,  then?  Cry  out,  so  that  the  absent 
ones  might  liear  them  ?  E"o ;  for  this  might  also 
attract  the  attention  of  the  ourang-outang,  and 
bring  it  upon  them.  Besides,  Helen  had  shrieked 
loudly  on  the  lirst  alarm.  If  any  of  the  hunt- 
ers had  been  within  hearing,  they  would  have 
needed  no  further  signal  to  tell  them  that  some 
danger  threatened  her.  If  not  within  hearing,  it 
would  be  worse  than  idle  for  either  of  them  to  cry 
out  again.  They  determined,  therefore,  to  remain 
silent,  and  keep  to  their  position,  in  the  hope  that 
either  their  father,  the  Malay,  or  Murtagh,  might 
come  to  their  speedy  relief. 

But  they  were  prudent  enough  not  to  expose 
themselves  to  any  wandering  glance  of  the  red 
gorilla's.  The  moment  Henry  had  joined  his  sister 
he  had  hurried  her  behind  the  trunk  of  the  tree, 
and  they  were  now  on  the  side  facing  toward  the 
forest.  There,  by  looking  through  the  leaves  of 
some  orchideous  creepers  that  wreathed  the  great 
stem,  they  could  see  the  dreaded  creature  without 
being  seen  by  it.  Hand  in  hand,  still  treml)ling, 
they  stood  silently  and  cautiously  regarding  the 
gorilla  and  its  movements. 

Under  other  and  safer  circumstances  it  would 
have  been  a  curious  and  interesting  spectacle :  this 
gigantic,  human-like  ape,  stretching  forth  its  hairy 


A   TERRIBLE   StTSPENSE.  175 

arms,  eaeli  full  four  feet  in  length — gatlicrini^  in 
the  lieads  of  the  tall  water-plants,  and  munehijig 
tlieni  ill  great  niouthfuls,  then  letting  the  stalks  g(j 
and  sweeping  round  to  collect  a  fresh  sheaf,  at 
intervals  wading  a  pace  or  two  to  reach  some  that 
were  more  tempting  to  its  taste.  For  several 
minutes  they  remained  looking  at  this  rare  sight, 
which  would  have  absorbed  the  attention  of  the 
spectators  could  it  have  been  witnessed  in  a  mena- 
gerie. 

But  they  regarded  it  with  fear  and  awe.  Their 
eyes  and  ears  were  at  the  same  time  more  occupied 
in  looking  and  listening  for  some  sign  that  might 
tell  them  of  the  return  of  their  protectors. 

Time  passed ;  none  was  seen,  none  heard. 

A  long  time  passed,  and  no  sound  from  the 
forest ;  no  murmur  of  men's  voices,  or  cry  of 
scared  bird,  to  proclaim  that  any  one  was  ap- 
proaching the  spot. 

The  brute  was  still  browsing,  but  with  less  a})- 
parent  voracity.  He  drew  the  shoots  toward  him 
with  a  gentler  sweep  of  his  arms,  selecting  only 
the  most  succulent.  His  appetite  was  on  the 
wane ;  it  was  evident  he  w^ould  soon  leave  off  eat- 
ing and  return  to  his  roosting  or  resting-place.  In 
the  forest,  of  course,  though  they  kiiew^  not  where. 
It  might  be  on  the  tree  over  their  heads,  or  on  one 
close  at  hand ;  or  it  might  be  afar  off.  In  any 
case,  they  felt  that  a  crisis  was  a])proaching. 


176  henry's  eesolve. 

Both  trembled,  as  they  thought  how  soon  they 
might  be  face  to  face  with  the  hideous  creature — ■ 
confronting  it,  or  perhaps  enfolded  in  its  long  hairy 
arms.  And  in  such  an  embrace,  how  would  it  fare 
with  them  ?  What  chance  of  escape  from  it ' 
]N^one  I  They  would  be  crushed,  helpless  as  flies 
in  the  grasp  of  a  gigantic  spider.  If  the  creature 
should  come  that  way,  and  resolve  upon  assailing 
them,  one  or  other,  or  both  of  them,  would  surely 
be  destroyed. 

If  only  one,  Henry  had  fully  made  up  his  mind 
who  it  should  be.  The  brave  boy  had  determined 
to  sacrifice  his  own  life,  if  need  be,  to  save  his 
sister.  Firmly  grasping  the  great  musket,  he  said : — 

"  Sister  IS"ell,  if  it  come  this  way  and  ofler  to 
attack  us,  you  keep  out  of  the  scrape.  Leave 
everything  to  me.  Go  a  good  way  ofi*  when  you 
see  me  preparing  to  Are.  I  shan't  draw  trigger 
till  it  is  close  up  to  the  muzzle  of  the  gun.  Then 
there'll  be  no  fear  of  missing  it.  To  miss  would 
only  make  it  all  the  madder.  Saloo  said  so.  If 
the  shot  shouldn't  kill  it  right  off,  don't  mind  me. 
The  report  may  be  heard,  and  bring  father  or  some 
of  the  others  to  our  assistance.  Dear  sis,  no  mat- 
ter what  happens,  keep  out  of  the  way,  and  w^ait 
till  they  come  up.     Promise  me  you  will  do  so !" 

"Henry!  I  will  not  leave  you.  Dear,  dear 
brother,  if  you  should  be  killed  I  would  not  care 
to  live  longer.     Henry  !  I  wdll  die  with  you !" 


THE    GOKILLA    ENRAGED.  177 

"  Don't  talk  that  way,  sis.  I'm  not  going  to  he 
killed ;  for  I  fancy  that  we  can  run  faster  than  it 
can.  It  don't  appear  to  make  much  speed — at 
least  along  the  ground ;  and  I  think  we  might 
both  escape  it  if  we  only  knew  which  way  it  was 
going  to  take.  At  any  rate,  you  do  as  I  say,  and 
leave  the  rest  to  me." 

While  they  were  thus  discussing  the  course  to  be 
pursued — Henry  urging  his  sister  to  retreat  in  the 
event  of  his  being  attacked,  and  Helen  tearfully 
protesting  against  leaving  him — a  movement  on 
the  part  of  the  mias  claimed  all  their  attention. 
It  was  not  a  movement  indicating  any  design  to 
leave  the  spot  where  it  had  been  browsing ;  but 
rather  a  start,  as  if  something  caused  it  a  surprise. 
The  start  was  quickly  followed  by  a  gesture,  not  of 
alarm,  but  one  that  plainly  betokened  anger.  In- 
deed, it  spoke  audibly  of  this,  being  accompanied 
by  a  fierce  growl,  and  succeeded  by  a  series  of 
hoarse  barkings,  just  like  those  of  a  bull-dog  or 
angry  mastiff,  whose  mouth,  confined  in  a  muzzle, 
hinders  him  from  gi^^ng  full  vent  to  his  anger. 
At  the  same  time,  instead  of  rising  erect,  as  a 
human  being  under  similar  circumstances  would 
have  done,  the  frightful  ape,  that  had  been  already 
in  the  most  upright  position  possible  to  it,  dropped 
down  upon  all  fours,  which  still,  however,  from  the 
great  length  of  its  arms,  enabled  it  to  preserve  a 
semi-erect  attitude. 

12 


1V8  WHAT   IS    COMING  ? 

With  its  huge  cheek  callosities  puffed  out  beyond 
their  natural  dimensions — (they  far  exceed  a  foot 
in  breadth) — its  crested  hair  thrown  forward  in  a 
stiff  coronal  ruff;  underneath  a  pair  of  eyes,  gleam- 
ing like  two  coals  of  lire,  and,  further  down,  its 
mouth  wide  agape,  displaying  two  rows  of  great 
glistening  teeth,  it  stood — or  rather  crouched — as 
if  awaiting  for  the  onset  of  some  well-known 
enemy ;  a  dangerous  enemy,  but  yet  not  so  danger- 
ous that  it  need  be  avoided.  On  the  contrary,  the 
attitude  now  assumed  by  the  red  gorilla,  as  also  its 
voice  and  gestures,  told  them  that  it  was  affected 
by  no  fear,  but  breathed  only  fury  and  defiance. 

Why  should  it  fear  ?  Was  there  any  living  thing 
in  the  forests  of  Borneo — ^biped,  quadruped,  or  rep- 
tile possessed  of  sufficient  powers  to  cope  with  the 
hairy  colossus  now  before  their  eyes,  which  seemed 
to  partake  of  the  characters  of  all  three,  and  twice 
the  strength  of  any  of  them  individually  ?  Saloo 
had  said  there  was  none. 

But  it  was  not  from  the  forests  of  Borneo  its 
enemy  was  to  come.  Out  of  its  waters  was  ap- 
proaching the  antagonist  that  had  caused  it  to 
assume  its  attitude  of  angry  defiance ;  and  the 
spectators  now  saw  this  antagonist  in  the  shape  of 
an  enormous  lizard — a  crocodile  larger  than  thej 
had  ever  seen  before. 

In  the  long  dark  form,  horizontally  shooting 
between  the  stems  of  the  water-plants,  causing  the 


WATCHING    THE    GORILLA. 


Page 


ANOTHER    GAYIAL. 


1V9 


red  gorilla  to  utter  siicii  angry  cries  and  make 
such  furious  gestures,  they  recognized  another  great 
gavial^  the  dreaded  crocodile  of  the  East  Indian 


rivers  and  lagoons. 


CHAPTER  XXYII. 


A    SPECTACLE    EAKELY    SEEN. 


^f^^^HE:^'  the  huge  reptile  first  unfolded 
itself  to  their  view,  it  was  ali*eadj  close 
to  the  spot  where  the  ourang-outang, 
knee-deep  in  the  water,  stood  awaiting  it. 
They  naturally  expected  to  see  the  land  animal 
effect  a  retreat  from  an  antagonist  even  more 
formidable-looking  than  itself 

And  in  reality  it  did  give  ground  at  first ;  but 
0]ily  for  a  few  long  scrambling  strides,  made  as 
much  on  its  arms  as  legs — just  far  enough  to  place 
itself  high  and  dry  upon  the  bank.  There  it  came 
to  a  stop,  and  stood  firmly  facing  the  foe. 

They  now  perceived  the  truth  of  what  Saloo  had 
been  telling  them :  that  there  is  no  animal  in  all 
Borneo,  either  in  its  forests  or  its  rivers,  of  which 
the  mias  feels  fear.  Certainly  there  is  none  more 
to  be  dreaded  than  the  gaAaal  crocodile ;  yet  the 
great  ape,  judging  by  its  present  attitude,  was  in 
no  sense  afraid  of  it.  Had  it  been  so,  it  would 
have  retreated  into  the  woods,  where,  by  climb- 


THE    crocodile's    ADVAXCE.  181 

ing  a  tree,  it  ini<j^ht  easily  have  shunned  tlie  on- 
counter.  Even  if  it  had  retired  a  little  upon  terra 
Jirma^  the  ami^hibious  animal  would  not  have 
thouo^ht  of  followinji:  it,  and  it  could  at  once  have 
avoided  the  conliict,  if  desirous  of  doing  so.  On 
the  contrary,  it  seemed  rather  to  court  it ;  for  not 
only  did  it  take  a  lirm  stand  on  the  approach  of 
the  saurian,  hut  continued  to  emit  its  hoarse  cough 
and  bark,  which,  as  we  have  said  before,  closely 
resembled  the  growlings  of  an  angry  mastitf  with 
his  jaws  held  half-shut  by  the  traps  of  a  muzzle. 
At  the  same  time  it  struck  the  ground  repeatedly 
with  its  fore-paws,  tearing  u])  grass  and  weeds,  and 
flinging  them  spitefully  toward  the  crocodile,  and 
into  its  very  teeth,  as  if  provoking  the  latter  to 
the  attack. 

Undismayed,  the  scaly  reptile  continued  to  ad- 
vance. IS'either  the  strange  noises  nor  the  violent 
gesticulations  of  its  four-handed  enemy  seemed  to 
have  any  effect  upon  it.  To  all  appearance,  nothing 
could  terrify  the  gigantic  saurian.  Confident  in  its 
great  size  and  strength — above  all,  in  the  thick  im- 
penetrable skin  that  covered  its  body  like  a  coat 
of  shale  armor — conscious  of  being  so  defended, 
the  crocodile  also  believed  that  there  was  no  living 
thing  in  all  the  land  of  Borneo,  or  in  its  waters 
either,  that  could  withstand  its  terrible  onslaught. 
It  therefore  advanced  to  the  attack  with  no  idea 
of  danger  to  itself,  but  only  the  thought  of  seizing 


182  "charge,  CHESTER,  charge!" 

upon  tlie  half- crouching,  half-upright  form  that 
had  intruded  upon  its  domain,  and  which  possibly 
appeared  to  it  only  a  weak  human  being — a  poor 
Dyak,  like  some  of  its  former  victims. 

In  this  respect  it  was  wofully  deceiving  itself; 
and  the  slight  retreat  made  by  the  mias  toward 
the  dryland  no  doubt  further  misled  its  assailant. 
The  reptile  paused  for  a  moment,  lest  the  retreat 
should  be  continued,  at  the  same  time  sinking  its 
body  beneath  the  w^ater  as  low  as  the  depth  would 
allow. 

Remaining  motionless  for  a  few  seconds,  and 
seeing  that  its  victim  was  not  only  not  going  any 
further,  but  maintained  its  defiant  attitude,  the 
gavial  crawled  silently  and  cautiously  on  till  the 
reeds  no  longer  concealed  it.  Then  suddenly  rising 
on  its  strong  fore-arms,  it  bounded  forward — aiding 
the  movement  by  a  stroke  of  its  immense  tail — and 
launched  the  whole  length  of  its  body  on  the  bank, 
its  huge  jaws  flying  agape  as  they  came  in  contact 
wdth  the  shaggy  skin  of  its  intended  prey.  For 
an  instant  of  time  its  snout  was  actually  buried  in 
the  long  red  hair  of  the  gorilla,  and  the  spectators 
expected  to  see  the  latter  grasped  between  its  jaws 
and  dragged  into  the  lake. 

They  were  even  congratulating  themselves  on 
the  chance  of  thus  getting  rid  of  it,  when  a  mov^e- 
ment  on  the  part  of  the  mias  warned  them  they 
w^erc  not  to  be  so  conveniently  disembarrassed  of 


A    TERRIBLE    CONFLICT.  183 

its  dangerous  proximity.  That  movement  was  a 
leap  partly  to  one  side,  and  partly  upward  into  the 
air.  It  sprang  so  high  as  completely  to  clear  the 
iiead  of  its  assailant,  and  so  far  horizontally,  that 
when  it  came  to  the  ground  again,  it  was  along  the 
extended  body  of  the  crocodile,  midway  between 
its  head  and  its  taiL  Before  the  unwieldy  reptile 
could  turn  to  confront  it,  the  ape  made  a  second 
spring,  this  time  alighting  upon  the  gavial's  back, 
just  behind  his  shoulders.  There  straddling,  and 
taking  a  firm  hold  with  its  thick  short  legs,  it 
threw  its  long  arms  forward  over  the  crocodile's 
shoulder-blades,  as  with  the  intent  to  throttle  it. 
And  now  commenced  a  struggle  between  the  two 
monstrous  creatures — a  conflict  strange  and  terri- 
ble— such  as  could  only  be  seen  in  the  depths  of  a 
Bornean  or  Sumatran  forest,  in  the  midst  of  those 
wild  solitudes  where  man  rarely  makes  his  way. 
And  even  in  such  scenes  but  rarely  witnessed ;  and 
only  by  the  lone  Dyak  hunter  straying  along  the 
banks  of  some  solitary  stream,  or  threading  the 
mazes  of  the  jungle-grown  swamp  or  lagoon. 

On  the  part  of  the  crocodile  the  strife  consisted 
simply  in  a  series  of  endeavors  to  dismount  the 
hairy  nder  who  clung  like  a  saddle  to  its  back.  To 
etfect  this  purpose,  it  made  every  effort  in  its  power ; 
turning  about  upon  its  belly  as  upon  a  pivot ;  snap- 
ping its  jaws  till  they  cracked  like  pistol  shots ; 
lashing  the  ground  with  its  long  vertebrated  tail, 


184  WHICH     SHALL    WIX  ? 

till  the  grass  and  weeds  were  swept  off  as  if  cut 
with  the  blade  of  a  scythe;  twisting  and  wrig- 
gling in  every  possible  direction. 

All  to  no  purpose.  The  ape  held  on  as  iirmly 
as  a  Mexican  to  a  restive  mnle,  one  of  its  fore-arms 
clutching  the  shoulder-blade  of  the  reptile,  while 
the  other  was  constantly  oscillating  in  the  air,  as 
if  searching  for  something  to  seize  upon. 

For  what  purpose  it  did  this,  the  spectators  could 
not  at  first  tell.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before 
they  discovered  its  intention.  All  at  once  the  disen- 
gaged arm  made  a  long  clutch  forward  and  grasped 
the  upper  jaw  of  the  gavial.  During  the  strugs^le 
this  had  been  frequently  wide  agape,  almost  point- 
ing vertically  upward,  as  is  customary  with  reptiles 
of  the  lizard  kind,  the  singular  conformation  of  the 
cerWcal  vertebrae  enabling  them  to  open  their  jaws 
thus  widely.  One  might  have  supposed  that,  in 
thus  taking  hold,  the  gorilla  had  got  its  hand  into 
a  terrible  trap,  and  that  in  another  instant  its  lingers 
would  be  caught  between  the  quickly-closing  teeth 
of  the  saurian,  and  snapped  off  like  pipe-stems,  or 
the  tender  shoots  of  a  head  of  celery.  The  inex- 
perienced and  youthful  spectators  expected  some 
such  result;  but  not  so  the  cunning  old  man- 
monkey,  who  knew  what  he  was  about ;  for,  once 
he  had  gained  a  good  hold  upon  the  upper  jaw,  at 
its  narrowest  part,  near  the  snout,  he  made  up  his 
mind  that  those  bony  counterparts,  now  asunder, 


THE    GORILLAS    VICTORY.  185 

should  never  eoiue  together  again.  To  make  qnito 
sure  of  tliis,  he  bent  liiniself  to  tlie  last  supreme 
effort.  Supporting  his  knees  firmly  against  tlie 
shoulders  of  the  sauriaii,  and  bending  his  thick 
muscular  arms  to  the  extent  of  their  great  strengtli, 
he  was  seen  to  give  one  grand  wrench.  There  was 
a  crashing  sound,  as  of  a  tree  torn  from  its  roots,  fol- 
lowed by  a  spasmodic  struggle ;  then  the  hideous 
reptile  laj  extended  along  the  earth,  still  writhing 
its  body  and  flirting  its  tail. 

The  red  gorilla  saw  that  it  had  accomplished  its 
task ;  victory  was  achieved,  the  danger  over,  and 
the  hated  enemy  lay  helpless,  almost  nerveless,  in 
its  hairy  embrace. 

At  length,  detaching  itself  from  the  scaly  crea- 
ture, whose  struofi^les  each  moment  ij^rew  feebler 
and  feebler,  it  sprang  to  one  side,  squatted  itself 
on  its  haunches,  and  with  a  hoarse  laughter,  that 
resembled  the  horrid  yell  of  a  maniac,  triumph- 
antly contemplated  the  ruin  of  its  prostrate  foe  I 


CHAPTER  XXYIII. 


STILL     TRUSTING     IN     GOD. 


g^^pm^  HE   reader  may   suppose   tlie   strange 
^  ffi^^  conflict  we  have  described  to  be  a  thing 
^?^M  of  tlie  author's   imagination.    Some  will, 
^      no    doubt,  pronounce    it  a    story  of  the 
sensational  and  fabulous  kind — in  short,  a  "  sailor's 
yarn."     So   may  it  seem  to  those  who  give   but 
little  attention  to  the  study  of  nature.     To  the 
naturalist,  however,  this   chapter   of  animal   life 
and  habits  will  cause  no  astonishment ;  for  he  will 
know  it  to  be  a  true  one ;  and  that  the  spectacle 
described,  although  perhaps  not  one  coming  every 
day  under  the  eye  of  man,  and  especially  civilized 
man,  has  nevertheless  been  witnessed  by  the  in- 
habitants of  the  recesses  of  the  Bornean  forest. 

Ask  any  old  Bornean  bee-hunter,  and  he  will 
tell  you  just  such  a  tale  as  the  above :  adding  that 
the  ourang-outang,  or  red  gorilla,  which  he  calls 
mias,  is  a  match,  and  more  than  a  match,  for  any 
animal  it  may  encounter  in  forest  or  jungle :  and 


"  ^roNSTR^.^[  iiORRE.vnuir."  187 

that  the  only  two  creatures  which  dare  attack  it  are 
the  crocodile  and  the  great  ular  or  python,  the 
latter  a  serpent  of  the  boa-constrictor  kind,  with 
one  of  which  our  castaways  had  already  furnied  ac- 
quaintance. But  the  Bornean  bee-hunter,  usually 
a  Dyak,  will  also  tell  you  that  in  these  conflicts 
the  red  gorilla  is  the  victor,  though  each  of  the 
two  great  reptile  antagonists  that  attack  it  is  often 
thirty  feet  in  length,  with  a  girth  almost  equalling 
its  own.  Only  fancy  a  snake  ten  yards  long,  and 
a  lizard  the  same ;  either  of  which  w^ould  reach 
from  end  to  end  of  the  largest  room  in  which  you 
may  be  seated,  or  across  the  street  in  which  you 
may  be  walking!  You  will  seldom  find  such 
specimens  in  our  museums ;  for  they  are  not  often 
encountered  by  our  naturalists  or  secured  by  our 
travellers.  But  take  my  word  for  it,  there  are 
such  serpents  and  such  lizards  in  existence,  ay,  and 
much  larger  ones.  They  may  be  found  not  only 
in  the  tropical  isles  of  the  Orient,  but  in  the 
Western  world,  in  the  lagoons  and  forests  of  Ec^ua- 
torial  America.  Many  of  the  "  sailor's  yarns"  of 
past  times,  which  we  have  been  accustomed  so 
flippantly  to  discredit,  on  account  of  their  appear- 
ing rather  tough,  have  under  the  light  of  recent 
scientific  exploration  been  proved  true. 

And  although  some  of  them  may  seem  to  be 
incorporated  in  this  narrative,  under  the  guise  of 
mere  romance,  the  reader  need  not  on  this  account 


188  THE    lOOKEKS-OX. 

think  himself  misled,  or  treat  them  with  sublime 
contempt.  If  it  should  ever  be  his  fate  or  fortune 
to  make  a  tour  through  the  East  Indian  Archipel- 
ago, he  will  cease  to  be  incredulous. 

Henry  Redwood  and  his  sister  Helen  had  no 
such  tranquil  reflections,  as  they  stood  under  the 
shadow  of  the  great  tree,  concealing  themselves 
behind  its  trunk,  and  watching  the  terrible  conflict 
between  the  two  huge  creatures,  both  in  their  eyes 
equally  hideous. 

Gi\^ng  way  to  an  instinct  of  justice,  they  would 
have  taken  sides  with  the  party  assailed  and  against 
the  assailant.  But,  under  the  circumstances,  their 
leanings  were  the  very  reverse ;  for  in  the  triumph- 
ant conqueror  they  saw  a  continuance  of  their  own 
danger  ;  whereas,  had  the  amphibious  animal  been 
victorious,  this  would  have  been  at  an  end.  The 
strife  now  terminated,  they  stood  trembling  and 
uncertain  as  ever. 

The  crocodile,  although  crushed,  and  no  longer 
dangerous  for  any  ofiensive  manoeuvre,  was  not 
killed.  Its  body  still  writhed  and  wriggled  upon 
the  ground ;  though  its  movements  were  but  the 
agonized  efforts  of  mortal  pain,  excited  convul- 
sively, and  each  moment  becoming  feebler. 

And  the  red  gorilla  stood  near,  squatted  on 
its  haunches;  at  intervals  tossing  its  long  hairy 
arms  around  its  head,  and  giving  utterance  to 
that   strange   coughing   laughter,  as   if  it   would 


NO    HELP    AT    HAND.  180 

never  leave  oif  exulting  over  the  victory  it  had 
achieved. 

How  long  was  this  spectacle  to  last?  It  wag 
sufficiently  hon-id  for  the  spectators  to  desire  its 
speedy  termination. 

And  yet  they  did  not ;  they  were  in  hopes  it 
might  continue  till  a  voice  coming  from  the  forest, 
or  the  tread  of  a  foot,  would  tell  them  that  help 
was  near. 

Tremblingly  but  attentively  they  listened.  They 
heard  neither  one  nor  the  other — neither  voice  nor 
footstep.  Now  and  then  came  the  note  of  a  bird 
or  the  cry  of  some  four-footed  creature  prowling 
through  the  glades ;  but  not  uttered  in  accents  of 
alarm.  The  hunters  must  have  wandered  far  in 
their  search  for  game.  They  might  not  return  in 
time. 

Again  Henry  bethought  him  of  firing  the  mus- 
ket to  give  them  a  signal.  But  even  if  heard,  it 
might  not  have  this  eifect.  They  knew  that  he 
was  al)le  to  hold  and  handle  the  great  gun,  and 
miglit  think  some  bird  or  animal  had  come  near 
and  tempted  him  to  take  a  shot  at  it. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  report  would  strike  upon 
the  ears  of  the  raias,  might  distract  it  from  the 
triumph  in  which  it  was  indulging,  and  bring  it  to 
the  spot  where  they  w^ere  standing.  Then,  with 
an  empty  gim  in  his  hand,  what  defence  could  the 
youth  make,  either  for  himself  or  for  his  sister? 


190  THE    CRISIS    APPRO  ACHES. 

To  fire  the  gun  would  never  do.  Better  leave 
tlie  trigger  unpulled,  and  trust  to  Providence  for 
protection. 

And  then,  as  the  brave  boy  reflected  on  the 
many  dangers  through  which  they  had  passed, 
and  how  they  had  always  been  delivered  by  some 
fortunate  interposition,  he  knew  it  must  be  the 
hand  of  Providence,  and  was  content  to  rely  upon 
it  again. 

lie  said  so  to  his  little  sister,  whispering  con- 
solation, as  with  one  hand  he  drew  her  close  to 
him,  the  other  resting  upon  the  musket.  And 
Helen  whispered  back  a  pious  response,  as  she 
nestled  upon  the  breast  of  her  brother. 

A  moment  more,  and  the  faith  of  both  was  sub- 
mitted to  a  severe  trial. 

The  red  gorilla,  after  gloating  for  a  long  time 
over  the  agonized  contortions  of  its  disabled 
enemy,  seemed  at  length  satisfied  that  it  was 
disabled  to  death,  and  facing  toward  the  forest, 
showed  signs  of  an  intention  to  take  its  departure 
from  the  spot. 

Now  came  the  crisis  for  Henry  and  Helen. 
"Which  Avay  would  the  animal  take  ? 

They  had  not  time  to  exchange  question  and 
answer — scarce  time  even  to  shape  them  in  their 
thoughts — when  they  saw  the  red  satyr  turn  to 
the  tree  behind  which  they  were  standing,  and 
come  directly  toward  them. 


^ 


CHAPTEE  XXIX. 

A   CArXIVE   CARRIED   ALOFT. 

E  are  lost !"  were  the  words  that  nislicd 


from  Henry  Redwood's  lips.  Tliey  cjiine 
involuntarily;  for,  as  soon  as  said,  lie 
regretted  them,  seeing  how  much  they 
added  to  the  alarm  of  his  sister.  It  was  a  crisis  in 
wliich  she  needed  rather  to  be  inspired  to  confi- 
dence by  words  of  encouragement. 

They  were  said,  however,  and  he  could  not  re- 
call them.  He  had  no  time  to  speak  of  anything, 
or  to  think  of  what  course  they  should  now  pursue. 
Coming  straight  toward  the  tree  with  an  awkward, 
shambling,  but  speedy  gait  withal,  the  monster 
would  soon  reach  the  spot  where  they  stood.  Its 
movements  showed  it  to  be  in  a  state  of  excitement 
— the  natural  consequence  of  its  late  conflict  w^ith 
the  crocodile.  If  seen,  they  would  come  in  for  a 
share  of  its  anger,  already  roused. 

If  seen !  ,  They  were  almost  sure  of  being  seen. 
They  were  endeavoring  to  avoid  it  by  keeping  on 
the  other  side  of  the  tree,  and  screening  tliemselvea 
among  the  parasitica]  ])lant3.  But  the  concealment 


192  AVUAT    SHALL    BE    DONE? 

was  slight,  and  would  not  avail  them  if  the  animal 
should  pass  the  trunk  and  look  around  after  passing. 
And  now  it  was  making  straight  for  the  tree,  ap- 
parently with  a  design  of  ascending  it. 

At  this  crisis  Henry  once  more  bethought  him 
of  running  away  and  taking  Helen  with  him.  He 
now  regretted  not  having  done  so  sooner.  Even  to 
be  lost  in  the  forest  woidd  have  been  a  less  danger 
than  that  which  now  threatened  them. 

A  glance  told  him  it  would  be  too  late.  There 
was  an  open  space  beyond  and  all  around  the  trunk 
behind  which  they  had  taken  shelter.  Should  they 
attempt  to  escape,  the  ape  would  be  certain  of  see- 
ing them  before  they  could  get  under  cover  of  the 
woods,  and,  as  they  supposed,  might  easily  over- 
take them  in  their  flight. 

Another  tree  was  near,  connecting  that  under 
which  they  stood  with  the  adjoining  forest.  But 
it  was  in  a  side  direction,  and  they  would  be  seen 
before  reaching  it.  There  was  no  alternative  but 
to  risk  a  chase,  or  stay  where  they  were,  and  take 
the  chances  of  not  being  seen  by  the  horrid  crea- 
ture that  was  approaching.    They  chose  the  latter. 

Silently  they  stood,  hands  clasped  and  close  to 
the  stem  of  the  tree,  on  the  side  opposite  to  that 
on  which  the  gorilla  was  advancing.  They  no 
longer  saw  it ;  for  now  they  dared  not  look  around 
the  trunk,  or  even  peep  through  the  leaves  of  the 
orchids,  lest  their  faces  might  betray  them. 


"up  the  tree.**  193 

After  all,  the  ape  miglit  pass  into  the  forest 
witliout  observing  them.  It'  it  did,  tlie  danger 
would  be  at  an  end ;  it*  not,  the  brave  boy  had 
snmmoned  up  all  his  energies  to  meet  and  grapple 
with  it.  He  held  the  loaded  muvsket  in  his  hand, 
ready  at  a  moment's  notice  to  raise  it  to  the  level 
and  tire  into  the  face  of  the  red-haired  satyr. 

They  waited  in  breathless  silence,  though  each 
could  hear  the  beating  of  the  other's  heart. 

It  was  torture  to  stand  thus  uncertain ;  and,  as 
if  to  continue  it,  the  animal  was  a  long  time  in 
getting  to  the  tree.  Had  it  stopped,  or  turned  oif 
some  other  way  ? 

Henry  was  tempted  to  peep  round  the  trunk  and 
satisfy  himself.  He  was  about  to  do  this,  when  a 
scratching  on  the  other  side  fell  upon  their  ears.  It 
w^as  the  claws  of  the  mias  rasping  against  the  bark. 
The  next  moment  the  sound  seemed  higher  up,  and 
they  were  made  aware  that  the  creature  was  ascend- 
ing the  tree. 

Henry  was  already  congratulating  himself  on  this 
event.  The  ape  might  go  up  without  seeing  them ; 
and  as  the  tree  was  a  very  tall  one,  with  a  thick 
head  of  foliage  and  matted  creepers,  once  among 
these,  it  might  no  longer  think  of  looking  down. 
Then  they  could  steal  away  unobserved,  and,  keep- 
ing at  a  safe  distance,  await  the  return  of  the 
hunters. 

At  this  moment,  however,  an  incident  arose  that 
13 


194  MURTAGIi  S    EETUE3?. 

interfered  with  tliis  desirable  programme,  in  an 
instant  changing  the  position  of  everything  that 
promised  so  well  into  a  sad  and  terrible  catas- 
trophe. 

It  was  Mnrtagh  who  caused,  though  innocently, 
the  lamentable  diversion. 

The  ship-carpenter,  returning  from  his  excursion, 
had  just  stumbled  upon  the  crocodile  where  it  lay 
upon  the  shore  of  the  lake,  which,  though  helpless 
to  return  to  its  proper  element,  w^as  not  yet  dead. 
With  jaw  torn  and  dislocated,  it  was  still  twisting 
its  body  about  in  the  last  throes  of  the  death- 
struggle. 

Not  able  to  account  for  the  spectacle  of  min  thus 
presented,  it  caused  the  Irishman  much  surprise, 
not  unmingled  with  alarm — the  latter  increasing  as 
he  looked  toward  the  tree  where  Henry  and  Helen 
had  been  left,  and  saw  they  were  no  longer  there. 

Had  he  prudently  held  his  peace,  perhaps  all 
might  have  been  well ;  but,  catching  sight  of  the 
huge  hairy  monster  ascending  the  trunk,  the  thought 
flashed  across  his  mind  that  the  young  people  had 
been  already  destroyed,  perhaps  devoured,  by  it ; 
and,  giving  way  to  this  terrible  fancy,  he  uttered  a 
dread  cry  of  despair. 

It  was  the  worst  thing  he  could  have  done ;  for, 
despite  the  discouraging  tone  of  his  voice,  it  seemed 
joyful  to  those  crouching  in  concealment ;  and, 
yielding  to  an  instinct-  that  they  were  now  saved 


AN-    rXllAl'PY    CATARTROrHE.  195 

by  the  presence  of  a  stanch  protector,  the}'  nislier! 
from  tlieir  ambuscade,  and  in  so  doing  discovered 
themselves  to  the  onrang-outang. 

Its  eyes  were  upon  them — dark,  demon-like  orl>s, 
that  seemed  to  scintillate  sparks  of  tire.  The  gorilla 
had  only  gone  up  the  trunk  to  the  height  of  about 
twenty  feet,  when  the  cry  of  the  alarmed  ship- 
caii)enter  brought  its  ascent  to  a  sudden  stop  ;  then, 
bringing  its  body  half  round,  and  looking  below,  it 
saw  the  children. 

As  if  connecting  them  with  the  enemy  it  had 
just  conquered,  its  angry  passions  seemed  to  re- 
kindle ;  and  once  more  giving  utterance  to  that 
strange  barking  cough,  it  glided  down  the  tree,  and 
made  direct  for  the  one  who  was  nearest. 

As  ill  luck  would  have  it,  this  chanced  to  be  the 
little  Helen,  altogether  defenceless  and  unarmed. 
Murtagh,  still  shouting,  rushed  to  the  rescue  ;  while 
Henry,  with  his  musket  raised  to  his  shoulder, 
endeavored  to  get  between  the  ape  and  its  in- 
tended victim,  so  that  he  could  fire  right  into  the 
face  of  the  assailant,  without  endangering  the  life 
of  his  sister. 

He  would  have  been  in  time  had  the  gnn  proved 
true,  which  it  did  not.  It  was  an  old  flint  musket, 
and  the  priming  had  got  damp  during  their  journey 
through  the  moist  tropical  forest.  As  he  pulled 
trigger,  there  was  not  even  a  flash  in  the  pan  ;  and 
although  he  instinctively  grasped  the  gun  by  its 


196  HKK Ill's   CRATE RY. 

barrel,  and,  using  it  as  a  club,  commenced  bela- 
boring the  hairy  giant  over  the  head,  his  blows 
were  of  no  more  avail  than  if  directed  against  the 
tnmk  of  the  tree  itself. 

Once,  tv^'ice,  three  times  the  butt  of  the  gun 
descended  upon  the  skull  of  the  satyr,  protected 
by  its  thick  shock  of  coarse  red  hair ;  but  before  a 
fourth  blow  could  be  given,  the  ape  threw  out  one 
of  its  immense  arms,  and  carrying  it  round  in  a 
rapid  sweep,  caught  the  form  of  the  girl  in  its 
embrace,  and  then,  close  hugging  her  against  its 
hairy  breast,  commenced  re-ascending  the  tree. 

Shouts  and  shrieks  were  of  no  avail  to  detain 
the  horrid  abductor.  ]N^or  yet  the  boy's  strength, 
exerted  to  its  utmost.  His  strength  alone;  foi* 
Murtagh  was  not  yet  up.  Henry  seized  the  gorilla's 
leg,  and  clung  to  it  as  long  as  ever  he  could.  He 
was  dragged  several  feet  up  the  trunk ;  but  a  kick 
from  the  gorilla  shook  him  off,  and  he  fell,  stunned 
and  almost  senseless,  to  the  earth. 

On  recovering  his  feet  and  his  senses,  he  looked 
above.  He  had  been  unconscious  only  for  an  in- 
stant, and  throughout  his  swoon  had  heard  Helen's 
continued  shrieks  like  voices  in  a  dreadful  dream. 
These  now  directed  him ;  and  at  the  first  glance 
on  high,  he  saw  his  sister  still  held  in  the  hug  of 
the  horrid  creature,  which  was  moving  onward  and 
upward,  as  if  determined  on  taking  her  to  the  very 
top  of  the  tree. 


^Mf  ^_^K.  m^Jt 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

WHAT    AVILL    BECOME    OF    HER? 

^n^^E^^  ^  T  would  be  impossible  to  paint  the  de- 


yjttL.      spair  that  wrung  her  brother's   heart,  aa 
r^^     he    stood   with   upturned   face   and   eyes 
^'*     bent  upon   a  scene  in  which   he   had  no 
longer  the  power  to  take  part. 

Xot  much  less  intense  was  the  agonized  emotion 
of  Murtagh ;  for  little  Helen  was  almost  as  dear  to 
the  Irishman  as  if  she  had  l)een  his  own  daughter. 
]S"either  could  have  any  other  thousrht  than  that 
the  child  was  lost  beyond  hope  of  recovery.  She 
would  either  be  torn  to  pieces  by  the  claws  of  the 
monster,  or  by  its  great  yellow  teeth,  already  dis- 
played to  their  view,  and  flung  in  mangled  frag- 
ments to  the  ground.  They  actually  stood  for 
some  time  in  expectation  of  seeing  this  sad  catas- 
trophe; and  it  would  be  vain  to  attempt  any 
description  of  their  emotions. 

It  was  no  relief  when  the  two  hunters  came  up, 
as  they  did  at  that  instant,  on  their  return  from 
the  chase.     Their   approach  for   the   last  two  o. 


198  CAPTAix  kedavood's  despair. 

three  liundred  yards  had  been  hastened  into  a  rim 
by  the  shrieks  of  Helen  and  the  shouts  of  Henry 
and  Murtagh.  Their  arrival  only  added  two  new 
figures  to  the  tableau  of  distress,  and  two  voices  to 
its  expression. 

The  ape  could  still  be  seen  through  the  foliage 
ascending  to  the  top  of  the  tree ;  but  Captain  Red- 
wood felt  that  the  rifle  he  held  in  his  hands,  though 
sure  of  aim  and  fatal  in  effect,  was  of  no  more  use 
than  if  it  had  been  a  piece  of  wood. 

Saloo  had  the  same  feeling  in  regard  to  his 
blow-gun.  The  rifle  might  send  a  deadly  bullet 
through  the  skull  of  the  gorilla,  and  the  latter 
pierce  its  body  with  an  arrow  that  would  carry  a 
quick-spreading  poison  through  its  veins. 

But  to  what  purpose,  even  though  they  could  be 
certain  of  killing  it  ?  Its  death  would  be  also  the 
death  of  the  child.  She  was  still  living,  and 
apparently  unhurt ;  for  they  could  see  her  moving, 
and  hear  her  voice,  as  she  was  carried  onward  and 
upward  in  that  horrible  embrace. 

Captain  Kedwood  dared  not  send  a  bullet  nor 
Saloo  an  arrow.  Slight  as  the  chances  were  of 
savinir  the  j^rirl,  either  would  have  made  them 
slighter.  A  successful  shot  of  the  rifle  or  pufi*  of 
the  blow-^un  would  be  as  fatal  to  the  abducted  as 
the  abductor ;  and  the  former,  with  or  without  the 
latter,  would  be  certain  to  Ml  to  the  foot  of  the 
tree.     It  was  a  hundred  feet  sheer  from  the  point 


INTO    THE    FOKKST.  199 

wliicli  the  ape  liad  attained  to  the  f,n-oiind.  Tlic 
cliild  would  not  only  be  killed,  but  crushed  to  a 
sliapeless  mass. 

Ah  me !  what  a  terrible  scene  for  her  lather ! 
What  a  spectacle  for  him  to  contemplate  ! 

And  as  he  stood  in  unutterable  agony,  his  com- 
panions gathered  around,  all  helpless  and  irresolute 
as  to  how  they  should  act,  thej  saw  the  ape  sud- 
denly change  his  direction,  and  move  outward 
from  the  trunk  of  the  tree  along  one  of  its  largest 
limbs.  This  trended  off  in  a  nearly  horizontal 
direction,  at  its  end  interlocking  with  a  limb  of  the 
neighboring  tree,  which  stretched  out  as  if  to  shake 
hands  with  it. 

A  distance  of  more  than  fifty  feet  lay  between 
the  two  trunks,  but  their  branches  met  in  close 
embrace. 

The  purpose  of  the  ape  was  apparent.  It  de- 
signed passing  from  one  to  the  other,  and  thence 
into  the  depths  of  the  forest. 

The  design  was  qnickly  followed  by  its  execution. 
As  the  spectators  rushed  to  the  side  by  which  the 
gorilla  was  retreating,  they  saw  it  lay  hold  of  the 
interlocking  twigs,  draw  the  branch  nearer,  bridge 
the  space  between  "WTth  its  long  straggling  arm,  and 
then  bound  from  one  to  the  other  with  the  agility 
of  a  squirrel. 

And  this  with  the  use  of  only  one  arm,  for  by 
the  other  the  child  was  still  carried  in  the  same 


200  rURSUERS    AND    PURSUED. 

(.'lose  liug.  Its  legs  acted  as  arms,  and  for  travel- 
ling through  the  tree-tops  three  were  sufficient. 

On  into  the  heart  of  the  deep  foliage  of  the 
second  tree,  and  without  a  pause  on  into  the  next ; 
along  another  pair  of  counterpart  limbs,  which, 
intertwining  their  leafj  spi*ays  and  boughs,  still 
further  into  the  forest,  all  the  time  bearing  its 
precious  burden  along  with  it. 

The  agonized  father  ran  below,  rifle  in  hand, 
lie  might  as  well  have  been  without  one,  for  all 
the  use  he  dared  to  make  of  it. 

And  Henry,  too,  followed  with  the  ship^s  musket. 
True,  it  had  missed  fire,  and  the  damp  priming 
was  still  in  the  pan.  Damp  or  dry,  it  now  mat- 
tered not.  Saloo's  sumpitan  was  an  equally  inef- 
fective weapon.  Murtagh  with  his  iishing-hoolvs 
might  as  well  have  thought  of  capturing  the  mon- 
ster with  a  bait. 

On  it  scrambled  from  tree  to  tree,  and  on  i*an 
the  pursuers  nnderneath,  yet  with  no  thought  of 
being  able  to  stay  its  course.  They  were  carried 
forward  by  the  mere  mechanical  instinct  to  keep  it 
in  sight,  with  perhaps  some  slight  hope  that  in  the 
end  something  might  occur — some  interruption 
jnight  arise  by  wliich  they  would  be  enabled  to 
efi'ect  a  rescue  of  the  child  from  its  horrible  captor. 

It  was  at  best  but  a  faint  consolation.  JSTor 
would  they  have  cherished  it,  but  for  their  trust 
in  a  higher  power  than  their  own.     Of  themselves 


201 


they  knew  tliey  could  not  let  or  hinder  the  abduc- 
tor in  its  flight. 

All  felt  their  own  helplessness.  But  it  is  just  in 
that  supreme  moment,  when  man  feels  his  utter 
M'eakness,  that  his  vague  trust  in  a  superior  Being 
becomes  a  devout  and  perfect  faith. 

Captain  Redwood  was  not  what  is  usually  called 
a  religious  man,  meaning  tliereby  a  strict  adherent 
to  the  Church,  and  a  regular  observer  of  its  ordi- 
nances. For  all  this  he  was  a  Arm  believer  in  the 
existence  of  a  providential  and  protecting  power. 

His  exclamations  were  many,  and  not  very 
coherent ;  but  their  burden  was  ever  a  prayer  to 
God  for  the  preservation  of  his  daughter. 

"  Helen,  my  child !  Helen  !  "What  will  become 
of  her  ?     O  Father  !     O  God,  protect  her  !" 


CHAPTEE  XXXI. 


THE     PURSUIT     ARRESTED. 

■ROM  branch  to  branch,  and  tree  tc 
[*ee,  the  red  gorilla  continued  its  swift 
advance;  still  bearing  with  it  the  little 
Helen. 

From  trunk  to  trunk,  the  pursuers  crawled 
through  the  underwood  beneath,  feeling  as  help- 
less as  ever. 

What  was  to  be  the  end  of  this  strangely  singu- 
lar pursuit  they  could  not  tell,  for  they  had  never 
before — and  perhaps  no  man  at  any  time  had — ■ 
taken  part  in  such  a  chase,  or  even  heard  of  one 
so  terrible. 

They  could  offer  no  conjecture  as  to  what  might 
be  its  termination ;  but  moved  forward  mechani- 
cally, keeping  the  gorilla  in  sight. 

Was  Helen  yet  living  or  was  she  dead?  'No 
cry  came  from  her  lips,  no  word,  no  sound !  Had 
the  life  been  crushed  out  of  her  body  by  the  pres- 
sure of  that  strong  muscular  arm,  twined  round 
her  like  the  limb  of  an  oak  ?  Or  was  the  silence 
due  to  temporary  loss  of  feeling  ? 


THE    CHASE    CONTINUED.  203 

Slie  might  well  liave  swooned  away  in  sucli  a 
Fit:iatioii ;  and  her  father,  struggling  with  faint 
hopes,  would  liave  been  glad  to  think  this  w^as 
indeed  the  case. 

'No  signs  could  be  gained  from  what  they  heard, 
and  none  from  what  they  saw.  They  were  now 
passing  through  the  very  depth  of  the  forest — a 
tropical  forest,  with  the  trees  meeting  overhead, 
and  not  a  speck  of  sky  visible  through  the  inter- 
woven branches,  loaded  with  their  thick  festoons 
of  leaves  and  lianas. 

They  were  gliding  through  dense  arcades,  lit  up 
with  just  sufficient  sunshine  to  wear  the  sombre 
shadows  of  a  dusky  twilight.  There  were  even 
places  where  the  retreating  form  of  the  ape  could 
not  have  been  distinguishable  in  the  obscurity,  but 
for  the  white  drapery  of  the  child's  dress,  now  torn 
into  shreds,  and  flaunting  hke  streamers  behind  it. 
These  hickily  served  as  a  beacon  to  guide  them  on 
through  the  gloom. 

Now  and  then  the  chase  led  them  into  less 
shady  depths,  where  the  sunlight  fell  more  freely 
through  the  leafy  screen  above.  At  such  points 
they  could  obtain  a  better  view,  both  of  the  red 
abductor  and  its  captive. 

But  even  then  only  a  ghmpse — the  speed  at 
w^hich  the  gorilla  was  going,  as  well  as  the  foliage 
that  intervened,  preventing  any  lengthened  obser- 
vation. 


-0-J-  ONWARD    AND    ONAVARD. 

Nor  were  the  pursuers  at  any  time  able  to  get 
sight  of  the  child's  face.  It  appeared  to  be  turned 
toward  the  animal's  breast,  her  head  buried  in  its 
coarse  shaggy  hair,  with  which  her  own  tresses 
were  mingled  in  strange  contrast. 

Even  her  form  could  not  be  clearly  distinguished. 
As  far  as  they  could  decide  by  their  occasional 
glimpses,  they  thought  she  was  still  alive.  The 
brute  did  not  seem  to  treat  her  with  any  malevo- 
lent violence.  Only  in  a  rude  uncouth  way ; 
which,  however,  might  suffice  to  cause  the  death 
of  one  so  young  and  frail. 

To  depict  the  feelings  of  her  flxther,  under  such 
circumstances,  would  be  a  task  the  most  eloquent 
pen  could  not  successfully  attempt.  Agony  like 
his  can  never  be  described.  Language  possesses 
not  the  power.  There  are  thoughts  which  lie  too 
deep  for  w^ords ;  passions  whose  expression  defies 
the  genius  of  the  artist  or  the  poet. 

Perhaps  he  was  hindered  from  realizing  the  full 
measure  of  his  bereavement  during  the  lirst  mo- 
ments of  the  pursuit.  The  excitement  of  the  chase, 
and  the  incidents  attending  it — the  hope  still  re- 
maining tliat  some  chance  would  arise  in  their  fa- 
vor— the  certainty,  soon  ascertained,  that  they  could 
keep  up  with  the  ape,  which,  despite  its  agility  in 
the  trees,  cannot  outstrip  a  man  pursuing  it  along 
the  ground, — all  these  circumstances  had  hitherto 
withheld  him  from  giving  way  to  utter  despair. 


OUT   OF   SIGHT  205 

But  tlie  time  had  come  when  even  these  sliglit 
supports  were  to  fail. 

It  was  when  they  arrived  upon  the  brink  of  a 
lagoon,  and  a  water-surface  gleamed  before  their 
eyes;  retlected  by  a  daylight  that  titruggled  dimly 
du'wn  through  the  tops  of  the  tall  trees. 

The  trees  rose  out  of  the  water,  their  trunks 
wide  apart,  but  their  branches  intermingling. 

The  path  of  our  pursuers  was  interrputed — they 
saw  it  at  once — but  that  of  the  pursued  seemed 
continuous  as  before. 

They  were  arrested  suddenly  on  the  brink  of 
the  lagoon,  apparently  with  no  chance  of  proceed- 
ing farther.  They  saw  the  red  gorilla  still  climbing 
among  the  trees,  with  the  white  drapery  streaming 
behind  it. 

Soon  they  saw  it  not — only  heard  the  crackle  of 
twigs,  and  the  swishing  recoil  of  the  branches,  as 
its  huge  body  swung  from  tree  to  tree. 

The  monster  was  now^  out  of  sight,  along  with 
its  victim — a  victim,  in  very  truth,  whether  living 
or  dead ! 

But  for  the  support  of  Murtagh  and  Saloo, 
Captain  Redwood  would  have  lallen  to  the  earth. 
In  their  arms  he  sobbed  and  gasped, — 

"  Helen  !  my  child,  Helen  !  What  will  become 
of  her  ?     O  Father !     O  God,  protect  her !" 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


LISTENING     IN     DESPAIR. 


^OK  some  seconds  Captain  Eedwood  waa 
powerless  in  a  frenzy  of  despair.  Henry 
was  equally  overcome  by  grief  truly  ago- 
nizing. It  was  to  both  father  and  son  a 
moment  of  the  most  unutterable  anguish. 

Helen,  the  dear  daughter  and  sister,  carried  out 
of  their  sight,  apparently  beyond  reach  of  pursuit ! 
And  in  the  arms  of  a  hideous  creature  which  was 
neither  wholly  man  nor  wholly  beast,  but  combined 
the  worst  attributes  of  each. 

Perhaps  she  was  already  dead  within  the  loath- 
some embrace — her  tender  body  soon  to  be  torn  to 
pieces,  or  tossed  from  the  top  of  some  tall  tree ;  to 
)je  crushed  and  mangled  on  the  earth,  or  thro\^nn 
with  a  plunge  into  the  cold  dark  waters  of  that 
dismal  lagoon,  never  more  to  be  seen,  or  heard  of. 
These  were  horrid  thoughts  and  hideous  images 
which  rushed  rapidly  through  their  minds  as  they 
stood  in  the  sombre  shadow,  picturing  to  themselves 


WHAT   MAS   BKCOMK    OF    UEli  ?  207 

her  too  probable  fate.  It  was  no  longer  a  qneslion 
about  her  life. 

They  knew,  or  believed,  her  to  be  dead.  Tliey 
only  thought  of  what  was  to  become  of  her  body ; 
what  chance  there  might  be  of  recovering  and 
giving  it  the  sacred  rights  of  sepulture.  Even  thiiS 
blight  consolation  occupied  the  mind  of  the  dis- 
tracted  father. 

The  Malay,  well  acquainted  with  the  habits  of 
the  great  man-ape,  could  give  no  answer.  lie  only 
knew  that  the  child's  body  would  not  be  eaten  up 
by  it ;  since  the  red  gorilla  is  never  known  to  feed 
upon  flesh — fruit  and  vegetables  being  its  only 
diet. 

The  whole  thing  was  perplexing  him,  as  an  oc- 
currence altogether  unusual.  He  had  known  of 
people  being  killed  and  torn  to  pieces  by  the  ani- 
mal in  its  anger ;  but  never  of  one  being  carried 
up  into  the  trees. 

Usually  these  animals  will  not  volunteer  an  at- 
tack upon  man,  and  are  only  violent  when  assailed. 
Then,  indeed,  are  they  terrible  in  their  strength  as 
in  their  ferocity. 

The  one  now  encountered  must  have  been  infu- 
riated by  its  fight  with  the  crocodile ;  and  coming 
straight  from  the  encounter,  had  in  some  way  con- 
nected the  children  with  its  conquered  enemy. 
Murtagh's  shout  might  have  freshly  incensed  it ; 
or,  what  to  Saloo  seemed  more  probable  than  all. 


208  SALOO    ON   THE    ALERT. 

the  seizure  cf  the  child  might  1  e  a  wild  freak  sud- 
denly striking  the  brain  of  the  enraged  satyr. 

He  had  heard  of  such  eccentricities  on  the  part 
of  the  ourang-outang,  and  there  is  a  belief  among 
the  Dyak  hunters  that  the  mias  sometimes  goes 
mad^  just  as  men  do. 

This  reasoning  did  not  take  place  on  the  edge  of 
the  lagoon,  nor  any  discussion  of  such  questions. 
They  were  thoughts  that  had  been  expressed  dur- 
ing the  pursuit,  at  no  time  hurried.  The  captain 
and  his  companions  had  easily  kept  pace  with  the 
pursued,  while  passing  through  the  dry  forest ;  and 
time  enough  was  allowed  them  to  think  and  talk 
of  many  things. 

Now  that  they  could  no  longer  follow,  scarce  a 
word  was  exchanged  between  them.  Their  emo- 
tions were  too  sad  for  utterance,  otherwise  than  by 
exclamations  which  spoke  only  of  despair. 

It  was  well  they  were  silent,  for  it  gave  Saloo 
the  opportunity  of  listening.  Ever  since  the  ape 
had  passed  from  their  sight,  his  ear  had  been  keenly 
anxious  to  catch  every  sound,  as  he  still  entertained 
a  hope  of  being  able  to  trace  its  passage  through 
the  trees. 

Thoroughly  conversant  with  the  animal's  habits, 
he  knew  that  it  must  have  an  abiding-place — a  nest. 
This  might  be  near  at  hand.  The  proximity  of  the 
lagoon  almost  convinced  him  that  it  was  so. 

The  mias  makes  a  temporary  roost  for  his  repose 


209 


anywhere  it  may  be  wandering — constructing  it  in 
a  few  moments,  by  breaking  oft'  tlie  brandies  and 
laying  them  crosswise  on  a  forked  limb ;  but  Saloc 
was  aware  that,  for  its  permanent  residence,  it 
builds  a  muCh  more  elaborate  nest,  and  this,  too, 
always  over  water  or  mai*shy  ground,  where  its 
human  enemy  cannot  conveniently  follow  it. 

Moreover,  it  chooses  for  the  site  of  its  dwelling 
a  low  tree  or  bush  with  umbrageous  boughs,  and 
never  retires  among  the  taller  trees  of  the  forest. 

This  it  does  to  avoid  exposure  to  the  chill  winds, 
and  the  inconvenience  of  being  shaken  to  and  fro 
during  storms  or  t)^hoons. 

"With  all  this  knowledge  in  his  memory,  the 
Malay  had  conceived  a  hope  that  the  monster's 
nest  might  not  be  far  off,  and  they  would  still  be 
able  to  follow  and  find  it — not  to  rescue  the  living 
child,  but  recover  her  dead  body. 

Keenly  and  attentively  he  listened  to  every  sound 
that  came  back  througli  the  water-forest — caution- 
ing the  others  to  be  silent.  A  caution  scarce 
needed,  for  they  too  stood  listening,  still  as  death, 
with  hushed  voices,  and  hearts  only  heard  in  their 
dull  sad  beatings. 

But  for  a  short  time  were  they  thus  occupied  ; 
altogether  not  more  than  five  minutes.  They  still 
detected  the  crackling  of  branches  which  indicated 
the  passage  of  the  ape  through  the  tree-tops. 

All  at  once  these  sounds  suddenly  ceased,  or 
14 


210  THE    RETREAT    DISCOVERED. 

rather  were  they  drowned  out  bj  sounds  louder 
and  of  a  very  different  intonation.  It  was  a  chorus 
of  cries,  in  which  barking,  grunting,  growling, 
coughing,  cachinnation,  and  the  squalling  of  chil- 
dren seemed  all  to  have  a  share.  There  were  evi- 
dently more  than  one  individual  contributing  to 
this  strange  fracas  of  the  forest ;  and  the  noises 
continued  to  come  apparently  from  the  same  place. 

If  the  hateful  mias  were  one  of  the  hoarse  chor- 
isters, it  had  evidently  paused  in  its  career.  This 
w^as  the  conjecture,  or  rather  the  conviction,  of 
Saloo. 

"  Allah  be  thank !"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  subdued 
tone.  "He  home  at  lass.  Him  family  makee 
welcome.  If  lilly  Helen  no  live,  we  get  body — 
and  we  hab  revenge." 

Saloo's  words,  offering  such  poor  consolation,  fell 
with  sad  effect  on  the  ears  of  his  listeners.  He  saw 
this,  and  added : 

"Ledwud  no  glieve,  cappen.  Maybe  chile  be 
live  yet.  Maybe  mias  no  killee  after  all.  Trust  we 
in  Allah,  what  you  Inglees  people  callee  God. 
Who  know  he  yet  help  us !" 

These  last  words  came  like  a  renewal  of  life  to 
the  despairing  father.  He  started  on  hearing  them ; 
fresh  hope  had  sprung  up  in  his  breast,  at  the 
thought  that  his  beloved  child  might  yet  be  alive, 
and  that  a  chance  of  rescuing  her  might  still  be 
possible. 


A    GLEAM    OF    HOPE. 


211 


"In  thy  mercy,  O  God,  grant  it  may  be  so!" 
were  tlie  words  that  fell  from  his  lips ;  Mm-tagh, 
with  equal  fervor,  saying  "  Amen  !" 


CHAPTEK  XXXIIL 


STKIKING     OUT. 


INSPIRED  to  renewed  energy,  Captain 
Redwood    rushed    to    the    edge    of   the 
lagoon,  w^ith   the  view  of  ascertaining  its 
depth,  and   seeing  whether  it  might  pos- 
sibly be  waded. 

He  soon  discovered  that  it  could  not.  In  less 
than  ten  paces  from*  the  edge  he  was  up  to  the 
arm-pits,  and  from  thence  it  seemed  to  deepen  still 
more  abruptly.  Another  step  forward,  and  tlie 
water  rose  over  his  shoulders,  the  bottom  still 
sloping  dowmward.  The  lagoon  was  evidently- 
impassable. 

He  drew  back  despairingly,  though  not  to  return 
to  the  shore.  He  stood  facing  the  centre  of  the 
lagoon,  whence  still  came  the  strange  noises: 
though  scarce  so  loud  or  varied  as  before,  they  did 
not  appear  to  be  any  more  distant.  Whatever 
creatm*es  were  making  them,  it  was  evident  they 
were  stationary,  either  in  the  trees  or  upon  the 


IS    SHE    AUVE  ?  213 

ground.  Tlicy  did  not  sound  as  if  they  came  from 
on  high  ;  but  this  might  be  a  deception,  caused  by 
the  mfluence  of  the  water.  One  of  the  voices  bore 
a  singular  resembhmce  to  that  of  a  child.  It 
could  not  be  Helen's;  it  more  resembled  the 
squalling  of  an  infant.  Saloo  knew  what  it  was. 
In  the  plaintive  tones  he  recognized  the  scream  of 
a  younir  om-ano^-outano^. 

It  was  a  proof  his  conjecture  was  true,  and  that 
the  mias  had  reached  its  home. 

All  the  more  anxious  was  Captain  Eedwood  to 
reach  the  spot  whence  the  sounds  proceeded. 
Something  like  a  presentiment  had  entered  his 
mind  that  there  was  still  a  hope,  and  that  his 
child  lived  and  might  be  rescued. 

Even  if  torn,  injured,  disiigured  for  life,  she 
might  surv^ive.  Any  sort  of  life,  so  long  as  she 
could  be  recovered  ;  and  if  she  could  not  be  re- 
stored, at  least  she  might  breathe  her  last  breath 
in  his  arms.  Even  that  would  be  easier  to  bear 
than  the  thought  that  she  had  gone  to  rest  in  the 
grasp  of  the  hirsute  gorilla,  with  its  hideous  off- 
spring grinning  and  gibbering  around  her. 

The  lagoon  could  not  be  waded  on  foot ;  but  a 
good  swimmer  might  cross  it.  Tlie  captain  was 
an  experienced  and  accomplished  swimmer.  The 
voices  came  from  no  great  distance — certainly  not 
above  half  a  mile.  On  one  occasion  he  had  accom- 
plished a  league  in  a  rough  sea !     There  could  be 


214  TWO    BETTER    THAN    ONE. 

no  difficulty  in  doing  as  much  on  the  smooth,  tran- 
quil water  of  that  tree-shaded  lake. 

He  had  opened  his  arms  and  prepared  to  strike 
out,  when  a  thought  stayed  him.  Saloo,  who  had 
waded  to  his  side,  also  arrested  him  by  laying  a 
hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"You  try  swimmee,  cappen,  no  good  without 
weapon ;  we  both  go  togedder — muss  take  gun, 
sumpitan,  Hiss,  else  no  chance  killee  mias." 

It  was  the  thought  that  had  occurred  to  Captain 
Hedwood  himself. 

"Yes,  you  are  right,  Saloo.  I  must  take  my 
rifle,  but  how  am  I  to  keep  it  dry  ? — there's  not 
time  to  make  a  raft." 

"1^0  rafi:'  need,  cappen;  givee  me  you  gun — 
Saloo  swim  single-hand  well  as  two ;  he  cally  the 
gun." 

Captain  Redwood  knew  it  to  be  true  that  Saloo, 
as  he  said,  could  swim  with  one  hand  as  well  as  he 
himself  with  both. 

He  was  a  Malay,  to  whom  swimming  in  the 
water  is  almost  as  natural  as  walking  upon  the 
land.  His  old  pilot  could  scarcely  have  been 
drowned  if  he  had  been  flung  into  the  sea  twenty 
miles  from  shore. 

He  at  once  yielded  to  Saloo's  counsel ;  and  both 
hastily  returned  to  the  edge  of  the  lagoon  to  make 
preparations. 

These  did  not  occupy  long.     The  captain  threw 


THE    SWIMMERS    START.  215 

off  some  of  his  clothes,  stowed  his  powder-flask 
and  some  bullets  in  the  crown  of  his  hat,  which  he 
fastened  flrmly  on  his  head.  lie  retained  a  knife 
— intended  in  case  of  necessity — to  be  carried  be- 
tween his  teeth,  giving  his  gun  to  Saloo. 

The  Malay,  having  less  undressing  to  do,  had 
already  completed  the  arrangements.  On  the  top 
of  his  turban,  safely  secured  by  a  knotting  of  his 
long  black  hair,  he  had  fastened  his  bamboo  quiver 
of  poisoned  arrows ;  while  his  kris — with  which  a 
Malay  under  no  circumstances  thinks  of  parting — 
lay  along  his  thigh,  kept  in  position  by  the  waist- 
strap  used  in  suspending  his  sarong.  With  his 
sumpitan  and  the  captain's  gun  in  his  left  hand,  he 
was  ready  to  take  the  water.  Kot  another  mo- 
ment was  lost ;  the  voices  of  the  ourangs  seemed 
to  be  calling  them ;  and  plunging  through  the 
shallow,  they  were  soon  out  in  deep  water,  and 
striking  steadily  but  rapidly,  silently  but  surely, 
toward  the  centre  of  the  lagoon. 

Henry  and  Murtagh  remained  on  the  shore 
looking  after  them.  The  ship-carpenter  w^as  but 
an  indifl:erent  swimmer,  and  the  youth  was  3  lot 
strong  enough  to  have  swam  half  a  mile.  It  was 
doubtful  if  either  could  have  reached  the  spot 
where  the  apes  seemed  to  have  made  their  rendez- 
vous. And  if  so,  they  would  have  been  too  ex- 
hausted to  have  rendered  any  service  in  case  of  a 
sudden  conflict. 


216  WAITING    AND    WATCHIXG. 

The  brave  Irishman,  devoted  to  liis  old  skipper, 
and  Henry,  anxious  to  share  his  father's  fate, 
would  have  made  the  attempt ;  but  Captain  Eed- 
wood  restrained  them,  directing  both  to  await  his 
return. 

They  stood  close  to  the  water's  edge,  following 
the  swimmers  with  their  eyes,  and  \\dth  prayers 
for  their  success,  scarcely  uttered  in  words,  but 
fervently  felt;  Murtagh,  according  to  the  custom 
of  his  country  and  creed,  sealing  the  petition  by 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross. 


CHAPTER  XXXIY. 


SWIMMING    IN     SHADOW. 

"»^|^p>T^ILEKTLY  and  swiftly  the  two  s^vim- 
mers  continued  their  course  through  the 
shadowy  aisles  of  the  forest.  Twilight, 
almost  darkness,  was  above  and  around 
them ;  for  the  trees  meeting  overhead  caused  an 
obscurity  sombre  as  night  itself.  Xo  ray  of  sun- 
light ever  danced  upon  the  sm-face  of  that  dismal 
lagoon. 

They  would  have  lost  their  way,  had  not  the 
noises  guided  them.  Should  these  be  discontinued, 
their  exertions  might  be  all  in  vain. 

They  thought  of  this  as  they  proceeded,  and  re- 
flected also  on  the  course  to  be  adopted  when  they 
reached  the  rendezvous  of  the  gorillas.  Supposing 
there  could  be  no  footing  found,  how  were  they  to 
use  either  gun  or  sumpitan  ? 

The  question  passed  between  them  in  a  whisper 
as  they  swam  side  by  side.  Neither  knew  how  to 
answer  it. 


218  CLOSE    AT    HAND. 

Saloo  only  expressed  a  hope  that  they  might  get 
upon  the  limb  of  a  tree  near  enough  to  send  a 
bullet  or  arrow  into  the  body  of  the  mias,  and  ter- 
minate his  career. 

There  seemed  no  other  chance,  and  they  swam 
on,  keeping  it  before  their  minds. 

About  the  direction  tliey  had  no  difficulty  what- 
ever. Although  the  surface  of  the  water  was  of 
inky  blackness,  from  the  shadowing  trees  above, 
and  the  huge  trunks  standing  out  of  it  now  and 
then  forced  them  into  an  occasional  deviation,  they 
advanced  without  any  great  difficulty. 

They  swam  around  the  tree  trunks,  and  guided 
by  the  voices  of  the  gorillas,  easily  regained  their 
course.  The  noises  were  no  longer  sharp  screams 
or  hoarse  coughs,  but  a  kind  of  jabbering  jargon, 
as  if  the  apes  were  engaged  in  a  family  confabula- 
tion. 

The  swimmers  at  length  arrived  so  near,  that 
they  no  longer  felt  any  fear  about  finding  the 
way  to  the  place  where  the  reunion  of  the  quadrvn 
mana  was  being  held ;  and  which  could  not  be 
more  than  a  hundred  yards  distant. 

Silently  gliding  through  the  water,  the  eyes  of 
both  peered  intently  forward,  in  an  endeavor  to 
pierce  the  obscurity,  and,  if  possible  discover  some 
low  limb  of  a  tree,  or  projecting  buttress,  on  which 
they  might  find  a  foothold.  They  had  good  hope 
of  success,  for  they  had  seen  many  such  since  start- 


A    r»AXK    OF    EAIITII.  219 

ing  from  the  shore.  Had  rest  been  necessary,  they 
might  have  obtained  it  more  than  once  by  grasping 
a  branch  abo\e,  or  clinging  to  one  of  the  great 
trunks,  whose  gnarled  and  knotted  sides  would 
have  afforded  sufficient  support. 

But  they  were  both  strong  swimmers,  and  needed 
no  rest.  There  was  none  for  the  bereaved  father — 
could  be  none — till  he  should  reach  the  termination 
of  their  strange  enterprise,  and  know  what  was  to 
be  its  result. 

As  they  swam  onward,  now  proceeding  with 
increased  caution,  their  eyes  scanning  the  dark 
sui-fiice  before  them,  both  all  of  a  sudden  and 
simultaneously  came  to  a  stop.  It  was  just  as  if 
somethino^  underneath  the  water  had  laid  hold  of 
them  by  the  legs,  checking  them  at  the  same 
instant  of  time. 

And  something  had  impeded  their  farther  pro- 
gress, but  not  from  behind.  In  front  was  the  ob- 
struction, which  proved  to  be  a  bank  of  earth,  that, 
though  under  the  water,  rose  within  a  few  inches  of 
its  surface.  The  breast  of  each  swimmer  had  struck 
against  it,  the  shock  raising  them  into  a  half-erect 
attitude,  from  which  they  had  no  need  to  return  to 
the  horizontal.  On  the  contrary,  they  now  rose 
upon  their  feet,  which  they  felt  to  be  resting  on  a 
firm,  hard  bottom. 

Standing  in  pleased  surprise,  they  could  better 
survey  the  prospect  before  them  ;  and  after  a  min- 


220  THE  goktlla's  home. 

nte  spent  in  gazing  tbrougli  the  gloom,  tliey  saw 
that  dry  land  was  close  to  the  spot  where  they  had 
been  so  abruptly  arrested. 

It  appeared  only  a  low-lying  islet,  scarce  rising 
above  the  level  of  the  lagoon,  and  of  limited  ex- 
tent— only  a  few  rods  in  supei'ficial  area.  It  was 
thickly  covered  with  trees ;  but,  unlike  those  stand- 
ing in  the  water,  which  were  tall  and  with  single 
stems,  those  upon  the  islet  were  supported  by  many 
trunks,  proclaiming  them  to  be  some  species  of  the 
Indian  fig  or  hanyan. 

One  near  the  centre,  from  its  greater  width  and 
more  numerous  supporting  pillars,  seemed  the 
patriarch  of  the  tribe  ;  and  to  this  their  eyes  were 
especially  directed.  For  out  of  its  leafy  shadows 
came  the  strange  sounds  which  had  hitherto  guided 
them. 

Among  its  branches,  without  any  doubt,  the  red 
gorilla  had  his  home  ;  and  there  he  would  be  found 
in  the  bosom  of  his  family. 

Grasping  his  gun,  and  whispering  to  Saloo  to 
follow  him.  Captain  Eedwood  started  toward  the 
tree  so  clearly  indicated  as  the  goal  of  their  expe- 
ditioi .. 


CHAPTER  XXXY. 


THE    FAMILY    AT     HOME. 

OOX  after  the  intended  assailants  stood 
among  the  rooted  branches  of  the  ban- 
yan. The  gloom  underneath  its  um- 
brageous branches  was  deepened  by 
what  appeared  to  be  an  immense  scaffolding  con- 
structed near  the  top  of  the  tree,  and  extending 
fiir  out  along  the  horizontal  limbs. 

Saloo  at  once  recognized  the  permanent  nest  or 
roosting-place  of  a  mias  romhi — such  as  he  had 
often  seen  in  the  forests  of  Sumatra,  where  the 
same,  or  a  closely  allied  species,  has  its  home. 

The  tree  was  not  a  tall  one,  but  low  and  wide- 
spreading;  while  the  broad  platform-like  nest, 
formed  by  interwoven  branches,  upon  which  lay  a 
thick  layer  of  grass  and  leaves,  was  not  more  than 
twenty  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

The  obscurity  which  prevailed  around  favored 
their  stealthy  approach  ;  and  like  a  pair  of  spectres 
gliding  througli  the  upright  pillars,  Captain  Eed 


222  A    TERRIBLE    SCEXE. 

wood  and  his  old  pilot  at  length  found  a  position 
favorable  for  a  survey  of  the  platform  erected  by 
the  gorilla. 

The  father's  heart  was  filled  with  strange  inde- 
scribable emotions,  as  with  eye  keenly  bent  he 
stood  upon  a  projecting  branch,  that  brought  his 
head  on  a  level  with  this  cunous  structure. 

There  he  saw  a  scene  which  stirred  his  soul  to 
its  deepest  depths. 

His  daughter,  appearing  snow-white  amid  the 
gloom,  was  lying  upon  the  scaflTold,  her  golden  hair 
dishevelled,  her  dress  torn  into  ribbons — portions 
of  it  detached  and  scattered  about. 

To  all  appearance  she  was  dead ;  for,  scanning 
her  with  the  earnest  anxious  glance  of  a  keen  so- 
licitude, he  could  not  detect  any  movement  either 
in  body  or  limbs ;  and  it  was  too  dark  for  him  to 
tell  whether  her  eyes  were  open  or  closed. 

But  he  had  now  very  little  hope.  He  was  in- 
deed too  certain  they  were  closed  in  the  sleep  of 
death. 

.  Around  her  were  assembled  three  human-like 
forms,  monstrous  withal,  and  all  alike  covered 
wdth  a  coating  of  red  hair,  thick,  long,  and  shaggy. 
They  were  of  different  sizes,  and  in  the  largest  one 
he  recoo^nized  the  abductor  of  his  child. 

The  second  in  size,  whose  form  proclaimed  it  to 
be  a  female,  was  evidently  the  wife  of  the  huge 
mau-ape ;  wliile  the  little  creature  about  eighteen 


223 

inches  in  height — though  a  peifect  miniature  like- 
ness of  its  parents — was  tlie  infant  whose  squalling 
had  contributed  more  than  anything  else  to  guide 
them  through  the  shades  of  the  lagoon. 

The  old  male,  perhaps  suffering  fatigue  from  its 
fight  with  the  crocodile,  as  well  as  from  the  chase 
he  had  sustained,  crouched  upon  the  scaffold,  seem- 
ingly asleep. 

The  other  two  were  still  in  motion,  the  mother 
at  intervals  seizing  her  hairy  offspring,  and  gro- 
tesquely caressing  it;  then  letting  it  go  free  to 
dance  fantastically  around  the  recumbent  form  of 
the  unconscious  captive  child.  This  it  did,  amus- 
ing itself  by  now  and  then  tearing  off  a  strip  of 
the  girl's  dress,  either  with  its  claws  or  teeth. 

It  was  a  spectacle  wild,  weird,  altogether  in- 
describable ;  and  by  Captain  Kedwood  not  to  be 
looked  upon  a  moment  longer  than  was  necessary 
to  embrace  its  details. 

Having  satisfied  himself,  he  raised  his  rifle  to 
fire  upon  the  family  party,  intending  first  to  aim  at 
the  father,  whose  death  he  most  desired,  and  who 
living  would  no  doubt  prove  by  far  the  most 
dangei-ous  antagonist. 

In  another  instant  his  bullet  would  have  sped 
toward  the  breast  of  the  sleeping  giant,  but  for 
Saloo,  who,  grasping  his  arm,  restrained  him. 

"  Tay,  cappen,"  said  the  Malay  in  a  whisper ; 
"leave  me  kill  em.     Sumpit  bettel  dun  bullet. 


224  SALOO    TAKES    AIM. 

De  gun  makee  noise — wake  old  mias  up,  an'  may 
be  no  killee  em.  De  upas  poison  bettel.  It  go 
silent — quick.     See  how  Saloo  slay  dem  all  tlee  I" 

There  was  something  in  Saloo's  suggestions 
which  caused  Captain  Redwood  to  ground  his  rifle 
and  reflect.  His  reflections  quickly  ended  in  his 
giving  place  to  his  old  pilot,  and  leaving  the  latter 
to  work  out  the  problem  in  his  own  way. 

Stepping  up  to  the  branch  assigned  to  him, 
which  commanded  a  view  of  the  spectacle  so  tor- 
turing to  his  master,  the  Malay  took  a  brief  glance 
at  the  scene — only  a  very  brief  one.  It  enabled 
him  to  select  the  first  victim  for  his  envenomed 
shaft,  the  same  which  Captain  Redwood  had  des- 
tined to  receive  the  leaden  missile  from  his  gun. 

Bringing  to  his  mouth  the  sumpitan,  in  whose 
tube  he  had  already  placed  one  of  his  poisoned 
arrows,  and  compressing  the  trumpet-shaped  em- 
bouchure against  his  lips,  he  gave  a  putf  that  sent 
the  shaft  on  its  deadly  way  with  such  velocity, 
that  even  in  clear  daylight  its  exit  could  only  have 
been  detected  like  a  spark  from  a  flint. 

In  the  obscurity  that  shrouded  the  gorilla's  roost, 
nothing  at  all  was  seen,  and  nothing  heard ;  for  the 
sumpit  is  as  silent  on  its  message  as  the  wing  of  an 
owl  when  beating  through  the  twilight. 

True,  there  was  something  heard,  though  it  was 
not  the  sound  of  the  arrow. 

Only  a  growl  from  the  great  red  gorilla,  that  had 


WOE    TO    TITE    VANQFTSHED.  225 

felt  something  sting  him,  and  on  feeling  it  tlirew 
np  his  paw  to  scratch  the  place,  no  doubt  fen  eying 
it  to  be  but  the  bite  of  a  mosquito  or  liornet. 

The  piece  of  stick  broken  ofl'  by  his  fingers  may 
have  seemed  to  him  rather  strange,  but  not  enough 
so  to  arouse  him  from  his  dreamy  indifference. 

Not  even  wlien  another  and  another  sting  of 
the  same  unusual  kind  caused  him  to  renew  his 
scratching — for  by  this  time  he  was  beginning  to 
succumb  to  the  narcotic  influence  that  would  soon 
induce  the  sleep  of  death. 

It  did  thus  end :  for  after  a  time,  and  almost 
without  a  struggle,  the  red-haired  monster  lay 
stretched  upon  the  platform  which  had  long  been 
his  resting-place,  his  huge  lim])s  supple  and  tremu- 
lous with  the  last  throes  of  life. 

And  beside  him,  in  the  same  condition,  was  soon 
after  seen  his  wife,  who,  of  weaker  confoiTnation, 
had  more  quickly  yielded  to  the  soporific  effect  of 
the  upas  poison,  from  which,  when  it  has  once  per- 
vaded the  blood,  there  is  no  chance  of  recovery. 

Saloo  did  not  deem  the  infant  mias  worthy  a 
single  arrow,  and  after  its  parents  had  been  dis- 
posed of,  he  sprang  upon  the  scaffold,  followed  by 
Captain  Redwood,  who,  the  moment  after,  was 
kneeling  by  his  child,  and  with  ear  closely  pressed 
to  her  bosom,  listened  to  learn  if  her  heart  was 
still  beating. 

It  was  ! 

15 


CHAPTER  XXXYI. 


AN     IMPROVISED    PALANQUIN. 


IIE  lives !  thank  God,  she  lives  !" 

These  were  the  words  that  fell  upon 
the  ears  of  Henry  and  Murtagh,  when 
Saloo,  SAvimming  back  to  the  shore,  re- 
lated to  them  what  had  transpired.  And  more  too. 
She  had  recovered  from  her  swoon,  a  long-pro- 
tracted syncope,  which  had  fortunately  kept  her  in 
a  state  of  unconciousness  almost  from  the  moment 
of  her  capture  to  that  of  her  rescue. 

With  the  exception  of  some  scratches  upon  her 
delicate  skin,  and  a  slight  pain  caused  by  the  com- 
pression to  which  she  had  been  subjected  in  that 
hideous  hug,  no  harm  had  befallen  her — at  least  no 
injury  that  promised  to  be  of  a  permanent  nature. 
Such  was  the  report  and  prognosis  of  Saloo,  who 
had  swam  baok  to  the  shore  to  procure  the  ship- 
carpenter's  axe,  and  his  aid  in  the  construction  of 
a  raft. 


A    HAPPY    REUNIOX.  227 

This  was  to  carry  Helen  from  tlie  islet — from  a 
fepot  which  had  so  nearly  proved  fatal  to  her. 

A  bamboo  grove  grew  close  at  hand,  and  with 
Saloo's  knowledge  and  the  ship-carpenter's  skill,  a 
large  life-preserver  was  soon  set  afloat  on  the  water 
of  the  lagoon.  It  was  at  once  paddled  to  the  islet, 
and  shortly  after  came  back  again  bearing  with  it 
a  precious  freight — a  beautiful  young  girl  rescued 
by  an  affectionate  father,  and  restored  to  an  equally 
affectionate  brother. 

Long  before  the  raft  had  grounded  against  the 
shore,  Henry,  plunging  into  the  shallow  water,  had 
gone  to  meet  it,  and  mounting  upon  the  buoyant 
bamboos,  had  flung  his  arms  around  the  form  of 
his  little  sister. 

How  tender  that  embrace,  how  fond  and  affec- 
tionate, how  different  from  the  harsh  hostile  hug 
of  the  monster,  whose  long  hairy  arms  had  late  so 
cruelly  encircled  her  delicate  form ! 

As  the  child  was  still  weak — her  strength  pros- 
trated more  by  her  first  alarm  when  seized,  than 
by  aught  that  had  happened  afterward — Captain 
Redwood  would  have  deemed  it  prudent  to  make 
some  stay  upon  the  shore  of  the  lagoon. 

But  the  place  seemed  so  dismal,  while  the  air 
was  evidently  damp  and  imhealthy,  to  say  naught 
of  the  unpleasant  thoughts  the  scene  suggested,  he 
felt  desirous  to  escape  from  it  as  soon  as  possible. 

In  this  matter  the  Malay  again  came  to  his  assist- 


2_'8  COXSTRUCTIXG    A   PALAXQUIN". 

ance,  by  saying  they  could  soon  provide  a  litter  on 
which  the  child  might  be  transported  with  as  much 
ease  to  herself  as  if  she  were  travelling  in  the  soft- 
est sedan-chair  that  ever  carried  noble  lady  of  Java 
or  Japan. 

"  Construct  it,  then,"  was  the  reply  of  Captain 
Kedwood,  who  was  altogether  occupied  in  caressing 
his  restored  child. 

Saloo  needed  no  further  directions :  he  only  re- 
quested the  assistance  of  Murtagh,  along  with  what 
remained  to  him  of  his  tools ;  and  these  being  as 
freely  as  joyfully  furnished,  a  score  of  fresh  bam- 
boos soon  lay  prostrate  on  the  ground,  out  of  which 
the  palanquin  was  to  be  built  up. 

Lopped  into  proper  lengths,  and  pruned  of  their 
great  leaf-blades,  they  were  soon  welded  into  the 
shape  of  a  stretcher,  with  a  pair  of  long  handles 
projecting  from  each  end. 

The  palanquin  was  not  yet  complete,  and  by 
rights  should  have  had  a  roof  over  it  to  shelter  its 
occupant  from  rain  or  sun ;  but  as  there  was  no 
appearance  of  rain,  and  certainly  no  danger  of  be- 
ing scorched  by  the  sun  in  a  forest  where  its  glow- 
ing orb  was  never  seen  nor  its  rays  permitted  to 
penetrate,  a  roof  was  not  thought  necessary,  and 
Saloo's  task  was  simplified  by  leaving  it  a  mere 
stretcher. 

lie  took  pains,  however,  that  it  should  be  both 
soft  and  elastic.   The  ktter  quality  he  obtained  by 


THROUGH   THE    FORKst-DEPl'HS.  229 

a  careful  choice  of  the  bamhoos  that  were  to  serve 
as  shafts  ;  the  former  requisite  he  secui-ed  by  thickly 
bedding  it  with  the  lopped-oif  leaves,  and  adding 
an  upper  stratum  of  cotton,  obtained  from  a  species 
of  bombyx  growing  close  at  hand,  and  soft  as  the 
down  of  the  eider-duck. 

Reclining  upon  this  easy  couch,  borne  upon  its 
long  shafts  of  elastic  bamboo,  Saloo  at  one  end  and 
Murtagh  at  the  other,  Helen  was  transported  like 
a  queen  through  the  forest  she  had  lately  traversed 
as  a  captive  in  a  manner  so  strange  and  perilous. 

Before  the  sun  had  set,  they  once  more  looked 
upon  its  cheering  light,  its  last  declining  rays  fall- 
ing upon  her  pale  tace  as  she  was  set  down  upon 
the  shore  of  the  lake,  beside  that  same  tree  from 
which  she  had  taken  her  involuntary  departure. 


CIIAPTEE  XXXYII. 


THE    JOURNEY     CONTINUED. 


^J^  HE  captain's  daugliter,  witli  the  natural 
vigor  of  youth,  soon  recovered  from  tlie 
slight  injuries  she  had  sustained  in  her 
singular  journey  through  the  maze  of 
boughs.  The  previous  perils  of  shipwreck,  and  the 
various  hairbreadth  escapes  through  which  she  had 
more  recently  passed,  made  her  last  danger  all  the 
lighter  to  bear ;  for  by  these  her  child's  spirit  had 
become  steeled  to  endurance,  and  her  courage  was 
equal  to  that,  of  a  full-grown  woman.  Otherwise 
the  fearful  situation  in  which  she  had  been  placed, 
if  leaving  life,  might  have  deprived  her  of  reason. 
As  it  happened,  no  serious  misfortune  had  be- 
fellen,  and  Avith  Helen's  strength  and  spirits  both 
fully  restored,  her  companions  were  alile  on  the 
third  day  to  resume  their  overland  journey. 

And  still  more,  they  started  with  a  fresh  supply 
of  provisions — enough  to  last  them  for  many  long 


TAKING    STOCK.  231 

days.  Captain  Eedwood  and  Saloo  in  tlicir  hunt- 
ing excursion  liad  been  very  successful.  The  cap- 
tain had  not  been  called  upon  to  lire  a  single  shot 
from  his  rifle,  so  that  his  slender  store  of  ammu- 
nition was  Ptill  good  for  future  eventualities.  Sa- 
loo's  siknt  sumpits  had  done  all  the  work  of  the 
chase,  which  resulted  in  the  death  of  a  deer,  another 
wild  pig,  and  several  large  birds,  suitable  for  the 
pot  or  spit. 

The  hunters  had  been  returning  from  their  last 
expedition  heavily  loaded  with  game,  when  the 
cries  of  Helen,  Henry,  and  Murtagh  had  caused 
them  to  drop  their  booty  and  hasten  to  the  rescue. 

1^0 w  that  all  was  over,  and  they  were  once  more 
reminded  of  it,  Saloo  and  Murtagh  went  in  search 
of  the  abandoned  game,  soon  found  it,  gathered  it 
again,  and  transported  it  to  their  camping-place  by 
the  side  of  the  lake. 

Here,  during  the  time  they  stayed  to  await  the 
recovery  of  Helen's  health,  the  pork  and  venison 
were  cut  up  and  cured  in  such  a  manner  as  to  in- 
sure its  keeping  for  a  long  time — long  enough 
indeed  to  suffice  them  throughout  the  w^hole  dura- 
tion of  their  contemplated  journey ;  that  is,  should 
no  unexpected  obstacle  arise  to  obstruct  or  detain 
them. 

The  fowls  that  had  iiillen  to  Saloo's  arrow^s  were 
sufficient  to  serve  them  for  a  few  days,  and  with 
the  tine  supply  of  lard  obtained  from  the  carcass 


232  SALOO    IS   PUZZLED. 

erf  the  pig,  thej  could  be  cooked  in  the  most  sump- 
tuous manner. 

In  the  best  of  spirits  tliey  again  set  forth ;  and  it 
seemed  now  as  if  fate  had  at  last  grown  weary  of 
tortui-ing  them,  and  daily,  almost  hourly,  involving 
one  or  other  of  them  in  danger  of  death. 

From  the  edge  of  the  lake,  where  their  journey 
had  been  so  strangely  interrupted,  they  fcnmd  an 
easy  path  across  the  remaining  portion  of  the  great 
plain. 

Several  times  they  came  upon  the  traces  of  red 
gorillas,  and  once  they  caught  sight  of  a  member 
of  the  horrid  tribe  speeding  along  the  branches 
above  their  heads. 

But  they  were  not  so  much  afraid  of  them,  after 
all ;  for  Saloo  admitted  that  he  did  not  deem  the 
Tnias  pappan  so  dangerous ;  and  he  had  ascertained 
that  it  was  this  species  of  ourang-outang  they  had 
encountered. 

He  confessed  himself  puzzled  at  the  behavior  of 
the  one  that  had  caused  them  so  much  fear  and 
trouble.  It  was  another  species,  the  Tnias  rombi, 
of  which  he  stood  in  dread ;  and  he  could  only  ac- 
count for  the  mias  pappan  having  acted  as  it  had 
done,  by  supposing  the  animal  to  have  taken  some 
eccentric  notion  into  its  head — ^perhaps  caused, 
as  we  have  already  hinted,  by  its  conflict  with  the 
crocodile. 

Dangerous  these  g\g?ini\Qquadriimaua  are,  nev 


VARIOUS    SPECIES    OF    GOIilLLA.  283 

ertlieless; — their  superhuman  strength  enabling 
them  to  make  terrible  havoc  wherever  and  when- 
ever their  fiirj  becomes  aroused.  But  without 
provocation  this  rarely  occurs,  and  a  man  or  woman 
who  passes  by  them  without  making  a  noise,  is  not 
likely  to  be  molested. 

Besides  the  large  species,  to  which  belonged  the 
ape  that  had  attacked  them,  the  travellers  saw 
another  kind  while  passing  across  the  plain.  This 
was  the  viias  Jcassio,  much  smaller  in  size,  and 
more  gentle  in  its  nature. 

But  they  saw  nothing  of  those,  tallest  of  all,  and 
the  most  dreaded  by  Saloo — the  mias  ra?nhis — 
although  the  old  bee-hunter  still  maintained  his 
belief  that  they  exist  in  the  forests  of  Borneo  as 
well  as  in  the  wilds  of  Sumatra. 

The  plain  over  which  they  were  making  their 
way,  here  and  there  intersected  with  lagoons  and 
tracts  of  tree-covered  swamp,  was  the  very  locality 
in  which  these  great  apes  delight  to  dwell ;  their 
habit  being  to  make  their  huge  platforms,  or 
sleeping-places,  upon  bushes  that  grow  out  of 
boggy  marsh  or  water — thus  rendering  them  diffi- 
cult of  access  to  man,  the  only  enemy  they  have 
need  to  dread. 


CHAPTEE  XXXYIIL 


THE     FRIENDLY     FLAG. 

HE  travellers  had  taken  their  departure 
from  the  lake-shore  at  an  early  hour  of 
the  morning ;  and  before  sunset  they  had 
traversed  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
plain,  and  ascended  a  considerable  distance  up  the 
sloping  side  of  the  mountains  beyond. 

Another  day's  journey,  during  which  they 
accomplished  a  very  long  and  tiresome  march, 
brought  them  to  the  summit  of  the  ridge,  the 
great  dividing  chain  which  strikes  longitudinally 
across  the  whole  island  of  Borneo,  so  far  as  the 
geographers  yet  know  it. 

They  could  see  far  to  the  northward,  dimly  out- 
lined against  the  sky,  the  immense  mountain  of 
Kini-Balu — which  rises  to  a  height  of  nearly  12,000 
feet ;  but  they  derived  their  principal  gratification 
from  the  fact  that,  in  the  country  stretching  west- 
ward, appeared  nothing  likely  to  prevent  thera 


DESCENDING    THE    MOIXT-VIN.  2..D 

from  roac'liinn:  the  destined  i^oal  of  their  ioiirnev, 
the  old  Malay  capital  town  of  Brnni — or  rather  the 
isle  of  Lalman,  which  lies  along  tlie  coast  a  little 
to  the  north  of  it,  where  Captain  lledwood  knew 
that  a  flag  floated,  which,  if  not  tliat  of  his  own 
conntry,  would  be  equally  as  certain  to  give  him 
protection. 

From  the  position  of  Kini-Baln,  whose  scpiare 
summit  they  could  distinguish  from  all  others,  he 
could  see  the  point  to  steer  for  as  well,  or  even 
better,  than  if  he  had  brought  his  ship's  compass 
with  him,  and  they  would  no  longer  be  travelling 
in  any  uncertainty  as  to  their  course.  From  where 
they  were  it  could  be  distinguished  to  a  point, 
without  any  variation;  and  after  a  good  night's 
rest  upon  the  mountain-ridge,  they  commenced 
descending  its  western  slope. 

For  a  time  they  lost  sight  of  the  sun's  orb,  that, 
rising  behind  their  backs,  was  hidden  by  the  moun- 
tain mass,  and  casting  a  purple  shadow  over  the 
forest-clad  country  before  them.  Soon,  however, 
the  bright  orb,  soaring  into  the  sky,  sent  its  beams 
before  them,  and  they  continued  their  journey 
under  the  cheering  light. 

Had  it  not  been  for  fear  of  their  fellow-beings, 
they  would  have  advanced  on  Avithout  much  fur- 
ther apprehension ;  for  one  and  all  were  now  re- 
joicing in  a  plentitnde  of  restored  health,  and  theii 
spirits  were  consccpiently  fresh  and  cheerful. 


236  UNDEll    HAPPY    AUSPICES. 

But  tliey  still  had  some  dread  of  danger  from 
man — ^from  those  terrible  enemies,  the  Djaks,  of 
whom  Bornean  travellers  have  told  such  ghastly 
tales. 

It  seemed,  however,  as  if  our  adventurers  were 
not  destined  to  discover  whether  these  tales  were 
true  or  false,  or  in  any  way  to  realize  them.  The 
evil  star  that  had  hung  over  their  heads  while  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  island,  must  have  stayed 
there ;  and  now  on  the  west  nothing  of  ill  appeared 
likely  to  befall  them. 

For  all  this  they  did  not  trust  to  destiny,  but 
took  every  precaution  to  shun  an  encounter  with 
the  savages,  travelling  only  at  such  times  as  they 
were  certain  the  "  coast  was  clear ;"  and  lying  in 
concealment  whenever  they  saw  a  sign  of  danger. 
Saloo,  who  could  glide  through  the  trees  with  the 
Btealth  and  silence  of  a  snake,  always  led  the  ad- 
vance ;  and  thus  they  progressed  from  hill  to  hill, 
and  across  the  intervening  valleys,  still  taking  care 
that  their  faces  should  be  turned  westward. 

At  length,  after  many  days  of  this  cautious  pro- 
gress, they  ascended  a  steep  ridge,  which,  rising 
directly  across  their  route,  made  it  necessary  for 
them  to  climb  it. 

It  caused  them  several  hours  of  toil ;  but  they 
were  well  rewarded  for  the  effort.  On  reaching 
its  summit,  and  casting  their  glances  beyond,  they 
saw  below,  and  at  a  little  to  the  left,  the  strange 


LABFAX    AT    LAST  !  237 

old  woodeu-walled  town  of  Briini ;  while  to  the 
right,  across  a  narrow  ann  of  the  sea,  lay  the  island 
of  Labuan,  and  on  its  conspicuous  buildings  waved 
the  glorious  old  banner  of  Britannia. 

Captain  Redwood  hailed  it  with  almost  as  much 
joy  as  if  it  had  been  the  flag  of  his  native  land. 

He  was  not  then  in  the  mood  to  dwell  on  any 
distinction  between  them ;  but,  flinging  himself  on 
his  knees,  with  Henry  on  one  side,  and  Helen  upon 
the  other — Murtagh  and  the  Malay  a  few  paces  in 
the  rear — he  offered  up  a  prayer  of  devout  and 
earnest  gratitude  for  their  great  deliverance  to 
Him  who  is  ever  powerful  to  save,  their  Patuee 
and  their  God. 


THE   END. 


14  DAY  USE 

Rbl UKN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

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on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

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stsi^em 

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AUG  16  1984   9 

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